US2260522A - Coin collector apparatus - Google Patents

Description

Cct. 28, 1941. ||v A HENNlNG' 2.260.522

COIN COLLECTOR APPARATUS Filed May 7, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet l /N VEA/TOR HA. /fE/v/v/NG 4'9 50 217 5y www,

vATTOAI'VEV Oct' 28, 1941- H. A. HENNING 2,260,522

- COIN COLLECTOR APPARATUS Filed May 7, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 www Oct. 28, 1941. H. A, HENNING 2,260,522

COIN COLLECTOR APPARATUS 7' TOR/VE V Oct. 28, 1941. H, A- HENNgNG 2,260,522`

' COIN COLLECTOR APPARATUS Filed May 7, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 F/G. 9 :l

FIG., l@

T., ma @(54 f f 1.1L! 1' VEA/TOR H. A. HENN/NG A T TURA/EV Patented Oei. 2s, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE G01N COLLECTOR APPARATUS Application May 7, 1940, Serial No. 333,770

2 Claims.

This invention relates to telephone coin coli lectors and more particularly to an electromagnetic structure of a type suitable for use in the collection or refunding of deposited coins.

A primary objc-ct of the invention is to improve the eliciency of telephone coin collectors, i

particularly in securing the selective operation of an electromagnet in accordance With the po-larity of the voltage applied thereto.

The electro-magnetic structure of this invention is of particular value inl the operation of telephone coin collectors wherein the subscriber tentatively deposits a coin which is placed under the control of the central oice and is subsequently collected or refunded depending upon Whether the desired telephone connection is obtained. Thus in the type of coin collector disclosed in the O. F. Forsberg United States Patent 1,043,219, issued November 5, 1912, the coin deposited by the subscriber is temporarily held upon the coin trap which is supported by a pivoted vane under the control of an electromagnet. If the pivoted vane is moved by the electromagnet in one direction the deposited coin is collected, while if it is moved in the opposite direction the coin is refunded and the direction the vane is moved depends upon the polarity of the applied voltage. For producing such a selective actuation to control coin collection or coin refund an electromagnet is required which is capable of efficient operation over a Wide variation in energizing current and load.

This invention as applied to a telephone coin collector of the above type preferably comprises a single-coil electromagnet. The armature for the electromagnet has a lateral extension to which is rotatably coupled a depending member comprising a permanent magnet located in the field of the electromagnet so that the depending member is deected laterally in a direction dependent upon the polarity of the voltage applied to the Winding. The depending member will, therefore, be moved longitudinally whenever the armature is attracted and at the same time Will be deflected laterally in a direction defining the polarity of the applied voltage. The lower end of the depending member may comprise a cam type latch for engaging suitable means for rotating the coin vane clockwise or counter-clock- Wise depending upon the direction the depending member is deflected.

In accordance with this invention the previously described depending member has a loose link CDnrleCtOnwith the almtlll? GXQHSOH 55 latch carried by the extension of the electromag-- whereby the usual armature restoring spring may restore the armature to normal while the subsequent restoring of the depending member townormal is secured by a retractile spring coupling the armature extension to the depending member and effective only when the coin load has beendischarged from the coin trap.

A further feature of the invention is concerned with the control of the spring contacts which are closed by initial coin deposit to place .the electromagnet under control of the remote central office. In accordance with this invention the mechanism which serves to enable these contacts to assume their normal operated condition comprises an extension of the depending member previously mentioned. While this depending member when actuated serves to move the coin vane to a position to enable the coin trap to drop under the influence of gravity, the discharge of coins from` the coin trap may be accelerated by having the armature oi' the electromagnet carry a spring extension for positively engaging the external portion of the coin trap to positively dump the trap after the trap has been freed from the coin vane. Still further features of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description.

Referring to the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a sectional View of a central portion of a telephone coin collector employing the coiny relay of this invention.;

Fig. 2 is a circuit diagram of a coin collector substation;

Fig. 3 is an end view partly in section of the 35 coin relay and associated coin hopper;

Fig. 4 is a side view partly in section of the apparatus of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a top view taken along the line 5-5 of Fig. 4; v 40 Fig. 6 is a View of the contact springs and associated parts in their operated Condition due to coin deposit;

Fig. 7 is similar to Fig. 4 except that certain movable parts are shown in operated condition due to the application of collect current to the relay;

Fig. 8 is similar to Fig. 3 except that the movable parts are shown in their operated position as in Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 corresponds to Fig. 7 except that in Fig. 9 the movable parts are shown in their operated positions due to the application of refund current;

Fig. 10 is an enlarged view of the cam type net with the various parts shown in their normal condition;

Fig. 11 is similar to Fig. 10 except that the movable parts are shown in their operated condition due to the application of collect current;

Fig. 12 is a top view taken along the line l2-I2 of Fig. l0; and

Fig. 1S is a side view partly in section of the lower end of the cam latch of Fig. l0.

The above drawings do not disclose a complete telephone coin collector but the general construction of one form of such a collector with which this invention may be employed may be ascertained by reference to the O. F. Forsberg United States Patent 1,043,219.

As disclosed in the Forsberg patent a person wishing to use a telephone coin collector inserts a coin in a coin gauge and the deposited coin after traversing a coin chute I5 for testing its genuineness and after striking a suitable coin signal drops into a coin hopper I6 and cornes to rest upon a coin trap l1 which extends across the passageway. This trap I1 which is shown pivoted along the axis I3 has a counterweight I9 and when it carries a coin load is supported by a roller 28 on a vertical coin vane 2| pivoted at its lower end. The coin passage below trap l1 (Fig. 4) is divided into two coin channels, a refund chute 22 leading to an opening whereby coins are accessible from outside the coin collector housing 23, and a collect chute 24 leading to a cash compartment within the housing. As explained in the Forsberg patent, if the vane 2l is moved to close the collect passageway 24 the dropping of trap I1 will allow the deposited coin to fall into refund chute 22 while if the vane is moved to close the refund passageway 22 the dropping of trap l1 will allow the deposited Cil shoulder 38 which on its upward travel due to armature attraction picks up an additional armature restoring spring 39.

Near its outer end arm 36 also carries a stud or pin 4|) which projects through a slot 4I in a vertically arranged member 42 where the length of the slot in the direction of movement of arm 36 due to armature attraction is substantially greater than the diameter of pin 48. Extending between stud 40 on arm 36 and a stud 43 cn member 42 is a coiled spring 44 for normally maintaining stud 40 in substantial engagement with the upper end of slot 4I whereby arm 36 and member 42 may be moved upwardly simultaneously but enabling the restoring of member 42 to its normal position to be delayed for a short time after armature has been restored to normal. It will also be obvious that member 42 is free to pivot about pin 48 as an axis. This substantial engagement of pin 40 against the upper end of slot 4| is obtained by adjustment of the position of stud I4 against which arm 36 is biased by restoring spring 31- Vertical member 42 also carries a small permanent bar magnet 45 the lower end of which lies centrally in the air-gap between the adjacent ends of arms 34, 35. When member 42 is raised vertically by armature attraction its upper end 46 is adapted to engage the lower arm 41 of an angular lever 48 to operate the spring pile-up as will be described later.

Suitably supported between spaced portions 49 and 58 of the bottom plate 5| of the coil supporting structure is a stationary rod 52 about coin to fall into collect chute 24, The apparatus l so far described is similar to that disclosed in the Forsberg patent.

The invention in the embodiment shown in the drawings is primarily concerned with the provision of improved means whereby the operation of vane 2l may be remotely controlled to collect or refund a deposited coin depending upon whether or not the desired telephone connection is secured.

Suitably mounted on lugs 21, 28 of tray 25 and adjacent the coin hopper 16 is an electromagnet comprising a single coil 26 surrounding a core of soft iron or other suitable magnetic material. A U-shaped strip 28 of magnetic mawhich is rotatably mounted a framework (Fig. 12) comprising two cross-pieces 53, 54 which are centrally apertured to receive rod 52. These two cross-pieces are rigidly united by two spaced pins 55, 56 which lie on opposite sides of rod 52 with the two pins and the rod normally lying in a substantially horizontal plane as shown in Fig 10. The cross-bar 53 has an upwardly extending arm 51 terminating at its upper end in a fork 58 for receiving the coin vane pin 58 which projects through the arcuate slot 60 in the adjacent coin hopper side wall.

Depending arm 42 terminates in a cam type latch comprising a pair of spaced jaws 6I, 62

- which embrace the pins 55, 56 with pin 55 norterial surrounding the top and ends of the coil f jacent the core and a flat portion parallel to l and closely adjacent each of the plates 32, 33 of the return path 23. An auxiliary return path for the magnetic flux is provided by arm 34 fastened to the core at the armature end thereof and arm 35 extending from the U-shaped member 29 at the opposite end of the core. The adjacent ends of these two arms 34, 35 are separated by an air-gap for a purpose to be described later.

Integral with armature 38 is a lateral and up- Wardly extending arm 36 to an intermediate portion of which is fastened the armature restoring Spring 31. Armature 38 is biased to its normal position by spring 31 which holds arm 36 against a stud I4 projecting from the vertical mounting plate 84. Arm 36 also carries a mally lying in a recess 63 and pin 56 normally lying in a recess 64 as shown in Fig. 10. Intermediate recesses 63, 64 the arm 42 has a hollowed-out portion 65 to avoid contact with stationary rod 52. These pins 55, 56 serve to hold arm 51 centered in its non-operative position, since the downward pull on stud 43 produced by spring 44 causes a downward thrust on arm 42 to normally maintain cam surfaces 63, 64 against pins 55, 56. rlhese recesses 63, 64 are so positioned that when the pins 55, 56 are resting therein the arm 42 and its permanent magnet 45 are centrally located in the air-gap between arms 34, 35.

As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the winding 26 of the electromagnet cannot be energized until spring contacts 66, 61 have been closed to connect one terminal of the winding 26 to ground. However, these contacts may be closed by the deposit of a coin in the collector. Any deposited coin before coming to rest on coin trap I1 strikes a coin trigger 68 and causes the coin trigger to move downwardly from its normal position of Fig. 3 to permit the passage of the coin after which the trigger assumes its coin actuated position of Fig. 6. A biasing spring 69 carrying a stud is. normally prevented from closing contacts 66., 61 .because its'upper end 1| lies against coin trigger shoulder 12 as shown in Fig. 3. Ho-W- ever, the coin actuation of trigger 68 liftsshoulder 12 out of the path of spring end 1I thereby allowing the biasing spring 69 to move freely to the left as seen in Fig. 6 to close the contacts.

Thereafter and at the proper time a suitablev switching means 13 at the central oiil'ce (Fig. 2) may be actuated to connect either positive or negative battery to winding 26 depending upon whether coin collection or coin refund isdesired.

Subsequent to coin deposit but prior to the energization of electromagnet 26 the various movable parts occupy their normal positions as shown in Fig. 4. But assoon as battery is applied to winding 26, armature'i!)` is attracted from its position of Fig. 4 to its position. of Fig. 7 where its stud 14 liesr against the adjacent framework of the relay. This armature movement lifts the depending arm 42 upwardly to free pins 55, 56 of the-conning action of recesses 63, 64. As the upward movement of member 42 is initiated, permanent magnet 45 which lies in the stray magnetic field .between pole extensions 34, 35 will be attracted towardsk arm 34 or arm 35 depending upon the polarity of the applied voltage. If the applied voltage is of one polarity arm 42 in moving upwardly is also moved counter-clockwise about its pivoting axis 46 as seen in Fig. 1l to bring the lateral recess 15 of jaw 6| into engagement with pin 55. With pin 55 in recess 15 the continuation of the upward movement of arm 42 due to armature attraction. causes arm 42 to lift pin 55 upwardly and thrust pin 56 downwardly since with pin 55 embraced by recess 'i5 of jaw 6| the inner configuration of the opposing jaw 62 lies outside the downward path of pin 56. The completed relative movement of the framework comprising pins 55, 56 is shown in Fig. 11 for an applied Voltage of one polarity and shows that the framework 53, 54 has been rotated clockwise through an angle of about 25 degrees.

On the other hand, if the applied voltage is such that the permanent magnet 45 is attracted towards pole extension 34 to bring pin 56 out of recess 64 and into the lateral recess 16 of jaw 62 the completion of the upward movement of arm 42 by armature attraction will cause recess 16 to lift pin 56 upwardly since the other pin 55 under the assumed conditions will be free of recess 15; and upon the completion of the combined clockwise and upward movement of arm 42 the pins 55, 56 will lie in an angular position just the reverse of that shown in Fig. 11, namely, the position occupied by these pins in Fig. 9. As previously stated, restoring spring 31 for the unoperated position of armature 30 holds the pins 55, 56 of framework 53, 54 in the recesses 63, 64 as shown in Fig. l0 so that coin vane 2| which is coupled to arm 51 of this framework by means of pin 59 cannot be moved in either direction to release trap l1 until the armature 36 has been operated.

It, therefore, follows that the structure which comprises cross-bars 53, 54 with the interconnecting pins 55, 56 will be moved clockwise or counter-clockwise about its axis 52 depending upon the polarity of the applied voltage; and since arm 51 is a part of this rotatable structure it follows that for an applied voltage of one polarity coin vane 2| will be moved counter-clockwise to its coin refunding position of Fig. 9 and for an applied voltage of the opposite polarity coin vane 2| will be moved clockwise toitsv coin collect position. of Fig. 7'.

It will ybe apparent from the showing of Fig. 10 that if arm 42 should be moved upwardly by armature attraction without any lateral movement the horizontal shouldersr 11, 18 would strike pins 55, 56 simultaneously whereupon the upward movement would cease without producing any rotative movement of the vane controlling arm 51. But the arrangement of the parts is such, assuming a small initial upward movement of arm 42, that only a slight lateral movement of arm 42 in one direction or the other is needed to have only one of. these cam surfaces 11, 18 contact with its associated pin thereby producing the desired rotative movement.

Regardless of the polarity of the applied'voltage the resulting upward movement of arm 42 brings its upper end 46 into engagement with the horizontal arm' 41 of an angular lever 48 which is pivoted about axis 19 thereby rotating lever 48 clockwise from its normal position of Fig. 6 to its advance position of Fig. 8. After coin deposit and before the electromagnet is energized, the counterweight is restrained from restoring the coin trigger 68 to normal by reason of the fact that as shown in Fig. 6 the under-surface of shoulder 12 is resting on the horizontal tip 1| of' the biasing spring 69. But the clockwise movement of angular lever 48 in changing from its position of Fig. 6 to its advanced position of Fig. 8 serves to cause a lateral movement to the right of the Contact spring assembly a distance sufficient to free trigger shoulder 12 from the restraining action of spring end 1|, whereupon trigger 68 is free to restore to normalY although the closed condition of contacts 66, 61 is not disturbed by this lateral movement produced by the actuation of lever 48. In Fig. 8 it is assumed that the electromagnet is still energized with arm 42 maintained in its fully actuated poistion. As soon as the electromagnet has been deenergized, the downward movement of arm 42 allows the spring pile-up to move to the left until projection 1| again engages the vertical edge of shoulder 12 whereupon the electrical contacts 66, 61 may again assume their normal open position.

The pin and slot connection between arm 42 and armature extension 36 is primarilyV for improving operating conditions whenthe energizing voltage is applied to the relay for an abnormally short interval and is removed before the entire coin load has been discharged from the coin trap l1. If at the moment relay 26 is deenergized it is assumed that a coin is being discharged from the coin trap |1 it is obvious that coin vane 2| cannot be restored to its vertical position until such a coin has been fully discharged. Under the assumed conditions spring 31 is free to restore armature 30 to normal while arm 42 will remain in an elevated position with pin 4U sliding down to the bottom of slot 4| causing an elongation of the coiled spring 44. After the interfering coin has been discharged, spring 44 which, of course, is weaker than spring 31, will be free to complete the downward movement of member 42 to its position of Fig. 10 and in completing its downward movement jaws 6|, 62 will force pins 55, 56 to assume their normal position in a horizontal plane, thereby causing vane 2| to again assume its normal vertical position underneath coin trap |1. The length of slot 4| is preferably such that arm 42 may remain in its elevated position with armature 36 restored to its normal unoperated position.

The time required for the complete discharge of a coin load from coin trap l'l is reduced by reason of the fact that in the embodiment shown it is not necessary to rely solely on the coin load to tilt the coin trap downwardly after the coin vane has been removed. Armature extension 36 has a lug 8| surrounded by a coiled wire 82, the free endl 83 of the wire being bent outwardly towards the coin hopper to normally lie just below counterweight I9 of the coin trap as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. When the armature is attracted, spring linger 83 in being raised positively engages counterweight I9 to initiate the downward movement of the coin trap although as shown in Fig. 8 the counterweight I9 in its final operated position is out of engagement with projection 83.

If desired, the spring pile-up may comprise two normally closed spring contacts 85, 86 for shortcircuiting the pulsing contacts of the calling dial 81 until a coin has been deposited. These contacts 85, 86 are biased to open position but are maintained closed as long as biasing spring 69 is restrained by coin trigger shoulder 12, since in this normal position stud 'l0 keeps spring 85 pressed against spring 86. Upon the actuation of the coin trigger 68 by coin deposit whereby the trigger is moved from its normal position of Fig. 3 to its operated position of Fig. 6, biasing spring 69 is free to move to the left thereby enabling spring 85 to move to the left due to its bias, and thereby remove the short circuit from the dial pulsing contacts. When the relay 26 is energized it is obvious from Fig. 8 that contacts 85, 86 are again closed and they remain closed upon the subsequent deenergization of the relay.

Spring contacts 66, 61 and 85, 86 are preferably mounted in a vertical position on a plate 84 which extends upwardly from the relay framework. If desired, a dust cover for the spring pile-up may be provided by a housing of which plate 84 forms a part. The cover shown in the drawings comprises a metal or iiber box-like structure comprising a top 88, parallel side walls 89 and 9D, and end wall Sl. Side wall 88 of the cover contains slots 92, 93 for receiving projections 84, 85 which project laterally from the vertical plate 84 while side wall 90 contains slots 96, 91 for receiving corresponding projections 98, 99 from plate 84. When it is desired to remove this cover the side walls S9, 90 may be sprung apart LLO far enough to free their slots from the abovementioned lugs after which the cover may be readily lifted to expose the spring pile-up for inspection or repair. If desired, side Walls 89, may extend laterally a substantial distance beyond the mounting plate 84 towards the coin hopper while the top wall 88 of the cover may have a similar extension |00.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination, an electromagnet having a core, an energizing winding for said core, a nonpermanently magnetized armature mounted for movement about a substantially horizontal axis and having a laterally extending arm, a substantially vertically arranged arm, one of said arms having a slot, a pin on the other of said arms disposed within said slot, spring means for biasing said pin to one end of said slot to cause said arms to move substantially as a unit when said armature is moving from normal to attracted position while permitting said second arm to remain in its attracted position during the return of said armature to its normal position, a permanent magnet mounted on said vertically arranged arm, a rotatable member, and means actuated by said vertically arranged arm for rotating said member in a direction dependent upon the polarity of the voltage applied to said winding.

2. In combination, an electromagnet having a core, a winding for said core, a non-permanently magnetized armature mounted for movement about one axis adjacent said core, said armature having a lateral extension adapted to be elevated when said armature is moved to attracted position, a restoring spring for said armature, a substantially vertically arranged arm carrying a permanent magnet located in the iield of said electromagnet, said arm at a point intermediate its length having an elongated slot, a pin on said extension projecting into said slot and spring means connected between said pin and a point on said arm above said pin for biasing said pin against the upper end of said slot, said spring means being weaker than the restoring spring for said armature, said slot being of suflicient length to permit said arm to remain in its elevated position when said armature is in its normal position.

HARLEY A. HENNING.

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