US2267576A - Coin collection device - Google Patents

Description

Dc. 23, 1941. M. H. RHODES 2,267,576

- I COIN COLLECTION DEVICE Filed Jan. 12, 1940 Patented Dec. 23, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE com COLLECTION nnvrcn Marcus Hall Rhodes, Hartford, Conn. Application January 12, 1940, Serial No. 313,535

4 Claims. (Cl. 232-55) i My invention relates to the class of apparatus employed in prepayment devices for the collection of coins, among others, is to provide means to prevent unlawful extraction of coins from the machine.

One form of an apparatus embodying my invention and in the construction and use of which the objects herein set out, as well as others, may be attained is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which L Figure 1 is a view in front elevation of av parking meter embodying my invention.

and an object of my invention,

Figure 2 is a detail view on enlarged scale of I the upper part of the machine with the door broken away to show construction.

Figure 3 is a side elevation, in partial section on a plane denoted by the dotted line 3--3 of Fig. 2.

Figure 4 is a detail view illustrating a modified form of the invention.

Figure 5 is a view in section on a plane denoted by the clotted line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

While my invention is not limited for use in apparatus of any particular description, yet, asit is of particular value in connection with parking meters, such apparatus has been selected by me for illustration of my invention herein. In the use of such devices, and perhaps others, means are provided for retaining the coin inserted 'for use of the device in a suspended position between the-coin chute and the coin receptacle so that the coin may be observed through a window for the purpose of determining whether or not a coin or valueless substitute has been used. This coin is released by the next coin employed for use of the apparatus, the released coin dropping into the coinreceptacle and the other coin being retained in its place. I

The coin receptacles are locked so that access cannot be obtained to them by persons regularly employed for collecting the receptacles. However, when the door is opened by the person for the re- ,moval of the coin receptacle the suspended coin hereinbefore referred to is accessible and may be removed and appropriated by such person. My invention now about to be described prevents such unlawful appropriation of the suspended coin and providesmeans whereby'such coin is releasedand deposited in the coin receptacle before the door can be opened sufliciently to provide access to such suspended coin.

In the accompanying drawing the numeral 6 denotes the case'of a parking meter in the upper part I of which coin operated mechanism is enclosed and which is operated by a handle 8 out side of the case and projecting thereinto for the operaticnof the mechanism. A door 9 closes the lower part of the case and is locked in closed position by a key operated lock including a plug or barrel in which may be of common construction operable by means of a key. A window I l in the upper part of the door enables a coin l2 within the enclosure to be observed. A coin receptacle i3 is enclosed in the bottom of the case 6 in position for the coin [2 to drop into it through a narrow slot in the cover whichis looked, as herein* before mentioned.

In order that the device inserted into the coin chute H may be retained for observation through the window, as hereinbefore statedI. provide a spring retaining finger l5 which is-pressed by the door 9 when closed into contact with the coin 12 thereby holding it in the position shown'in Figs. 2 and 3.

The resilient spring-retaining finger l5, it will be noted, curves inwardly at 3% toward a projecting frame 20. The coin is discharged into the space between the resilient spring-retaining finger I5 and the frame 20, and is held in position there by the portion of finger 15. It will likewise be noted that finger l5 contacts door 9 at 3| so that door 9 positions the resilient springfetaining finger l5 and especially the portion 30 thereof in the'proper relation to frame 20 so as to temporarily hold a coin therebetween, and position it opposite window I I. It will be understood of course that coin I2 is discharged into the space between finger l5 and frame 20 by the coin-operating mechanism operated by handle 8. When the door is released for removal of the coin receptacle l3 the spring finger l5 moves outward, thereby releasing the coin which promptly drops into the receptacle before the door can be opened sufliciently to prevent such action and there is therefore no opportunity for such coin to be unlawfully obtained.

In thearrangement just described the coin is released by an opening movement of the door,

while in the modified form illustrated in Figs. 4

and 5 the coin is released by rotation of the plug II) to release'the lock, the coin therefore dropping before any opening movement of the door oi' the finger IS. A coin releasing lever 2| is pivotally mounted on the frame 20 as shown in Fig. 4, the end 22 being offset toward the door 8 as shown in Fig. 5. The opposite end of the lever has a lip 23 which is located in the path of movement of a lug 24 on the plug l0, a. spring 25 engaged with the lever pressing the lip 23 into engagement with said lug.

Contact of the end ,22 with the resilient memher is occurs when the lip 23 is elevated, as by contact therewith of lug 24 on plug I0. This presses the end 22 downward where it contacts the portion of resilient member I! which is bent in to form part 32 thereof. This pushes the resilient member toward the door 9 and releases the coin.

The plug I is screw threadedly engaged in a threaded hole in a post 26 projecting from the back wall of the case, as shown in Figs. 2 and 5, the key rotating the plug l0 several times before disengagement of the threads to permit the door to be opened. The lug 24, however, will on its first engagement with the lip 23 cause the end 22 of the lever to engage the finger l9 and release the coin so that the latter is freed and drops into 7 the box well before any opening movement of the door. a

In both forms of the structure herein disclosed the coin is released and drops into the coin receptacle before any access can be gained to the interior of the case suflicient to enable removal of the coin, in the form of the apparatus first described a slight opening movement of the doorv releasing the coin and in the structure last described the operation of the key plug freeing the coin before the door is released for opening movement.

I claim:

1. A coin collector comprising a case which contains a coin receptacle and a temporary coin holder, said temporary coin holder having resilient coin-retaining means, closure means for said case contacting said temporary coin holder, and means for releasing a coin before said closure means opens sufficiently for access to said coin receptacle.

'for said case contacting said temporary coin holder positioned to flex said coin-retaining means for retaining a coin when the closure means are closed, but not when said closure means are open.

4. A coin collector comprising a case which contains a coin receptacle and a temporary coin holder, said temporary coin holder having resilient coin-retaining means, closure means for said case contacting said temporary coin holder comprising a lock, and means for operating said resilient coin-retaining means to release a coin upon operation of said lock.

MARCUS HALL RHODES.

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