Title: Energy dissipating device for coin handling mechanisms

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Claims: What we claim is:

1. A coin handling mechanism including means defining a coin path through the mechanism, the means including at least one energy dissipating device arranged to be struck by a coin travelling along the path and cause a change in direction of the path, the energy dissipating device comprising a rigidly mounted solid piece of material having a hardness value greater than 9 on the Mohs scale.

2. A coin handling mechanism according to claim 1 in which the material is a ceramic material.

3. A coin handling mechanism according to claim 2 in which the material is sintered aluminium oxide.

4. A coin handling mechanism to claim 1 in which the said piece is secured directly to a part of the frame of the mechanism.

5. A coin handling mechanism according to claim 4 in which the piece has an L-shaped cross-section, one limb of the L-shaped piece being secured to part of the frame of the mechanism, the other limb providing the surface which is struck by the coin.

6. A coin handling mechanism according to claim 2 in which the said piece is secured directly to a part of the frame of the mechanism.

7. A coin handling mechanism according to claim 6 in which the piece has an L-shaped cross-section, one limb of the L-shaped piece being secured to part of the frame of the mechanism, the other limb providing the surface which is struck by the coin.

8. A coin handling mechanism according to claim 3 in which the said piece is secured directly to a part of the frame of the mechanism.

9. A coin handling mechanism according to claim 8 in which the piece has an L-shaped cross-section, one limb of the L-shaped piece being secured to part of the frame of the mechanism, the other limb providing the surface which is struck by the coin.

10. A coin handling mechanism for identifying acceptable coins of one or more predetermined denominations including means defining a coin path through the mechanism, the means including at least one energy dissipating device arranged to be struck by a coin travelling along the path and cause a change in direction of the path, the energy dissipating device comprising a rigidly mounted piece of ceramic material having a hardness sufficiently greater than that of any coins of the predetermined denominations that the coin has substantially no bounce when it strikes the energy dissipating device.

11. A coin handling mechanism according to claim 10 wherein the ceramic material is aluminum oxide.

12. A coin handling mechanism according to claim 10 wherein one energy dissipating device forms the upstream end of a coin track down which coins can roll along the coin path past a coin identification sensor.

13. A coin handling mechanism according to claim 12 wherein the ceramic material is aluminum oxide.

14. A coin handling mechanism according to claim 10 wherein one energy dissipating device is past the downstream end of a coin track in the direction of coin trajectory from the said downstream end and spaced from said downstream end by at least the diameter of the largest coin acceptable by the mechanism.

15. A coin handling mechanism according to claim 14 wherein the ceramic material is aluminum oxide.

Other info:

Inventors: van Zeggern, Wilhelm Aart (Bleiswijk, NL)

Application Number: 525742
Filing Date: 1974-11-21
Publication_date: 1976-03-16
Assignee: Mars, Inc. (McLean, VA)
Primary Class(es): 194/327 194/346
Other Classes:
US Patent Ref:

1280540	Oct, 1918	Pollock	194/100.
1751120	Mar, 1930	Wurzbach	194/100.
1756076	Apr, 1930	Wurzbach	194/100.
3837454	Sep, 1974	Joeck	194/100.

Other Refs:
Primary Examiner: Knowles, Allen N.
Assistant Examiner:
Attorney: Davis, Hoxie, Faithfull & Hapgood