US3631538A

US3631538A - Coin storage and dispensing device

Info

Publication number: US3631538A
Application number: US882919A
Authority: US
Inventors: Herbert A Kohn
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1969-12-08
Filing date: 1969-12-08
Publication date: 1971-12-28
Anticipated expiration: 1988-12-28

Abstract

A coin storage and dispensing device is disclosed which includes a battery-operated indicator light arranged to turn on when the coins remaining in the device fall below a predetermined number.

Description

United States Patent Inventor Herbert A. Kohn 3753 Cedar Avenue, Minneapolis, Minn. 55402 Appl. No. 882,919

Filed Dec. 8, 1969 Patented Dec. 28, 1971 COIN STORAGE AND DISPENSING DEVICE 9 Claims, 5 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 340/283, 340/280, 200/61 .2,,200/61 .41, 206/37, 206/38, 232/4 Int. Cl G081) 23/00, G081 5/00 Field of Search ZOO/52.02,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,618,736 11/1952 Langhoui ZOO/61.81 X 3,487,395 12/1969 Xenos ZOO/61.2 X 2,486,180 10/1949 Lane et al. 206/.81

Primary Examiner-Donald .I. Yusko Assistant Examiner-William M. Wannisky AttorneyMerchant & Gould ABSTRACT: A coin storage and dispensing device is disclosed which includes a battery-operated indicator light arranged to turn on when the coins remaining in the device fall below a predetermined number.

PATENTED "H228 I97! INVENTOR.

nrramzrs COIN STORAGE AND DISPENSING DEVICE The invention is directed to coin storage and dispensing devices, specifically of the type that hold a stack of coins for parking meter change and the like.

Devices of this type have proven quite useful since they provide a readily accessible source of change for parking meters, thus obviating the problem of having sufficient change in the proper denomination.

Because only the top coin of the stack ordinarily can be seen, one drawback of these devices is running out of coins or trying to determine which coin is the last one. Another drawback is the relative inconvenience of refilling the device with coins since only a single coin at a time can be inserted into devices of which I am aware. I

My invention solves the first problem through the provision of an indicating light which comes on when the number of remaining coins falls below a predetennined level. Further, while my inventive device is capable of storing a large number of coins, a removable closure member is included which enables the device to be refilled quickly and easily. These features are provided without sacrificing maximum-size limitations, thus resulting in a small, compact device that reliably prevents the user from running out of change.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a coin storage and dispensing device embodying the inventive concept;

FIG. 2 is a top view of the coin storage and dispensing device;

FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the device;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the device taken along the line 44 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary elevational view as seen from a line 5-5 of FIG. 4 showing a mechanical switch employed by the device in detail.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the Figures, a coin storage and dispensing device represented generally by the numeral 11 is shown to consist of an outer container 12 which is internally divided into internal enclosures or

chambers

13, 14. Chambers 13, 14 are accessible through the top of container 12 by virtue of a removable closure member 16 which can be snapped into place by a groove 17 and bead 18 formed on adjacent engageable parts of container 12 and top 16 (FIG. 4). As best seen in FIG. 1, a slot or recess 19 enables top 16 to be easily removed from container 12.

As shown in FIGS. 3, 4 a permanently attached bottom 21 leaves chamber 13 partially open and completely closes chamber 14 at its lower end.

Referring to FIG. 4, chamber 13 is constructed to receive a plurality of stacked coins 22. Removable top 16 carries a coil spring 23, which continuously forces coins 22 against bottom 21. The partial opening of chamber 13 created by bottom 21 can be described as having a lesser cross-sectional area than the face of one of the coins 22 when viewed axially of the stack, and having a lateral opening wider than a coin diameter and of a depth greater than one but less than two coin thicknesses. Through this structural arrangement, bottom 21 in combination with spring 23 restrains axial movement of the coins 22, but permits the coins 22 to be removed laterally one at a time.

Chamber 14 is constructed to receive and store a battery 24 having positive and

negative terminals

25 and 26. Battery 24 is used to provide electrical energy to an indicator light 27 which is carried by removable top 16 in a conventional manner. A cap 30 is screwed onto a threaded flange projecting upwardly from top 16 to protect light 27 as well as enhance its illuminating capabilities. Cap 30 can be made of transparent or translucent material, and of any desired color.

Indicator light 27 forms part of an electrical circuit which is connected to battery 24 by means of an upper contact 28,

which is carried by removable top 16 and engages terminal 25. and a coil spring 29, which is disposed between battery 24 and bottom 21, and serves as an electrical contact engageable with terminal 26 as well as a biasing means which maintains battery 24 in continuous electrical contact.

Also forming part of the electrical circuit are a conductive strip 31 which connects contact 28 with light 27, a conductive strip 32 which connects light 27 to a switch 33, and a conductive strip 34 which connects switch 33 with contact spring 29.

Switch 33 is formed from the engageable ends of

conductive strips

32 and 34, which, by virtue of the inherent spring characteristics of strip metal, are normally biased into a conductive or "make position. See also FIG. 5. Thus, in the absence of a force which would move the ends of

conductive strips

32 and 34 apart, light 27 is turned on through its connection to battery 24.

As can be seen in FIG. 4, conductive strip 32 is disposed so that it is engageable by the stacked coins 22 if the stack is high enough to reach strip 32. Thus, if chamber 13 is full, the stacked coins 22 engage strip 32, moving switch 33 to its break" position and causing light 27 to turn off. With light 27 off, the user of a device 11 knows that a sufficient number of coins 22 are in chamber 13 and that he need not worry about running out of parking meter change. When the stack of coins 22 falls below that predetermined number e.g., eight coins or less as shown in FIG. 4), switch 33 will move to its make position and light 27 turns on to remind the user that chamber 13 should be filled with coins in the near future.

In order to refill chamber 13, top 16 is simply removed and the requisite number of coins are simply and easily added. Battery 24 is also replaced by the removal of top 16.

What is claimed is:

1. Coin storage and dispensing means, comprising:

a. a container divided into first and second chambers;

b. the first chamber constructed to receive and house a plurality of stacked coins, and having an opening at one end constructed and arranged to permitremoval of the coins from the stack one by one;

c. biasing means for effecting a biasingforce on the stacked coins in the direction of said one end of the first chamber;

d. the second chamber constructed to receive and house battery means having first and second terminals;

e. electrically actuated indicator means carried by the container and operatively connected to the battery means through circuit means;

f. and switch means forming part of the circuit means and having first and second operating positions for establishing and breaking the connection between the battery means and the indicator means, respectively, the switch means being engageable by the stacked coins when a predetermined number of coins are in the stack and movable thereby to one of the first and second operating positions, the switch means being movable to the other of the first and second operating positions when less than the said predetermined number of coins are in the stack.

2. The coin storage and dispensing means as defined by claim I, wherein the indicator means comprises an electric light.

3. The device as defined by claim I, wherein the circuit means includes first and second contacts adapted for engagement with the first and second terminals of the battery means, one of the first and second contacts comprising an electrically conductive biasing spring disposed to maintain engagement between the first and second contacts and the first and second terminals, respectively.

4. The device as defined in claim I, wherein the biasing means comprises a coil spring disposed in compression between the stacked coins and the other end of the first chamber.

5. The device as defined by claim I, wherein the opening is of lesser cross-sectional area than the face of the coin, the depth of the opening being greater than one and less than two coin thicknesses and the width of the opening being greater than a coin diameter.

6. The device as defined by claim 1, wherein the switch means is movable to the second opening position when the predetermined number of coins are in the stack.

7. The device as defined by claim 1, and further comprising a movable closure member for the other end of the first chamber and an adjacent end of the second chamber.

8. The device as defined by claim 7, wherein:

a. the indicator means comprises a light bulb carried by the removable closure member;

b. the biasing means comprises a coil spring carried by the removable closure member;

c. and further comprising a protective cap for the light bulb,

the protective cap being carried by the removable closure member and formed from light-transmitting material.

9. The device as defined by claim 6, wherein the switch means comprises:

a. a first electrical contact;

b. and a strip of metal having a free end forming a second electrical contact, the free end being normally biased into engagement with the first electrical contact and engageable by the stacked coins for movement away from the first contact.

Claims

1. Coin storage and dispensing means, comprising: a. a container divided into first and second chambers; b. the first chamber constructed to receive and house a plurality of stacked coins, and having an opening at one end constructed and arranged to permit removal of the coins from the stack one by one; c. biasing means for effecting a biasing force on the stacked coins in the direction of said one end of the first chamber; d. the second chamber constructed to receive and house battery means having first and second terminals; e. electrically actuated indicator means carried by the container and operatively connected to the battery means through circuit means; f. and switch means forming part of the circuit means and having first and second operating positions for establishing and breaking the connection between the battery means and the indicator means, respectively, the switch means being engageable by the stacked coins when a predetermined number of coins are in the stack and movable thereby to one of the first and second operating positions, the switch means being movable to the other of the first and second operating positions when less than the said predetermined number of coins are in the stack.

2. The coin storage and dispensing means as defined by claim 1, wherein the indicator means comprises an electric light.

3. The device as defined by claim 1, wherein the circuit means includes first and second contacts adapted for engagement with the first and second terminals of the battery means, one of tHe first and second contacts comprising an electrically conductive biasing spring disposed to maintain engagement between the first and second contacts and the first and second terminals, respectively.

4. The device as defined in claim 1, wherein the biasing means comprises a coil spring disposed in compression between the stacked coins and the other end of the first chamber.

5. The device as defined by claim 1, wherein the opening is of lesser cross-sectional area than the face of the coin, the depth of the opening being greater than one and less than two coin thicknesses and the width of the opening being greater than a coin diameter.

8. The device as defined by claim 7, wherein: a. the indicator means comprises a light bulb carried by the removable closure member; b. the biasing means comprises a coil spring carried by the removable closure member; c. and further comprising a protective cap for the light bulb, the protective cap being carried by the removable closure member and formed from light-transmitting material.

9. The device as defined by claim 6, wherein the switch means comprises: a. a first electrical contact; b. and a strip of metal having a free end forming a second electrical contact, the free end being normally biased into engagement with the first electrical contact and engageable by the stacked coins for movement away from the first contact.