The Walter Kidde Company Limited

Greenwald Electro-mechanical Consultants, Inc.

Kidde, Inc.

Harry Greenwald

Pierre Lier

Salvatore Iglio

Anthony LiCausi

Christos Lambiris

Dennis J Larkin

This disclosure is directed to a switching device for a coin controlled machine in which the device is actuated in response to completion of a predetermined number of cycle of an operator member. The device includes a shaft disposed for rotating a predetermined angular increment each time the operator member cycles. The device includes a first cam and a second cam adjustably positioned on the shaft relative to each other to permit selecting a predetermined distance along the camming surface of the first cam between the initial inoperative position of said first cam and its actuation position. The angle subtended by the selected predetermined distance along the camming surface of the first cam is a multiple of the predetermined increment that the shaft rotates each time the operator member cycles. The arrangement is such that the selected position of the second cam relative to the position of the first cam will determine the number of predetermined increments required to advance the first cam to its actuation position thereby requiring a corresponding number of cycles of the operator member to effect activation of the coin controlled machine.

Switching device for a coin controlled machine

A pushbutton switch of the type wherein a pushbutton is depressed to operate a switch mechanism and which pushbutton is engaged and depressed by an adjustment screw extending through a moving device. The pushbutton includes a central contact portion which is engagable with the central end portion of the screw. A circumferential groove is disposed about the central contact portion of the pushbutton to provide clearance for the edge end portions of the screw so that the central end portion of the screw remains in contact with the central contact portion of the pushbutton. This relationship provides for precise adjustment of said screw in controlling the operation of the switch mechanism.

Switch button construction

A control device for a coin operated mechanism wherein the device includes a ratchet wheel formed having a plurality of teeth each having a front and a back face defining a tooth apex. The back face of each tooth and the front face of the next adjacent tooth define a well therebetween. The front face of each tooth is formed having a step which receives a ratchet follower to displace a normally open switch to its closed state at the end of each stepping operation of the ratchet wheel to operate the mechanism. A star wheel is operatively driven by a timing mechanism when the switch is in its closed state and is disposed to engage the ratchet wheel to cause rotation of the ratchet wheel conjointly upon rotation of the star wheel. The ratchet follower is displaced out of engagement with the ratchet tooth step and rides up the front face of the tooth over the apex and drops down the back face of the tooth, upon conjoint rotation of the star wheel and the ratchet wheel, whereby the ratchet follower is received within the next adjacent well thereby to open the switch.

Control device for a coin operated mechanism

A snap-action switch is disclosed which includes a movable contact carried by an over-the-center toggle-like spring armature to snap between a first position and a second position. The armature is moved by a pushing member which, in turn, is moved by a switch activator. An energy absorbing spring member is disposed between the switch activator and the pushing member. The spring absorbs forces at least equal to the force necessary to initially move the armature in a direction from its first position to its second position. When the force necessary to move the armature becomes less than the forces absorbed by the spring, the absorbed forces are released to move the armature quickly through its deadband zone and snap the armature contact to its second position.

Snap-action switch

A coin chute adapted to receive interchangeable coin slides. One type of slide may have one or more coin sockets fitted with one or more knock-out plugs to accommodate differently sized coins in each of the sockets. Another type of slide has either one, two, three or four open coin sockets of different sizes. The chute carries a blocking device with a plurality of sizing dogs biased against the coin slide. The sizing dogs are adapted to engage with the coin receiving sockets of the slide to jam continued projected movement of the slide in the absence of predetermined sized coins therein. The position of the dogs relative to the sockets of the slide and the spacing between the dogs is pre-set to similarly engage with differently sized socket openings of replacement slides without further adjustment of the sizing dogs to permit interchangeable use of coin slides whereby the coin chute is operable to accept a variety of differently sized coins and coin combinations by changing slides.

Coin chute to accommodate various coin slides having differently sized

A cylindrical money box assembly that is received in a housing through a generally circular opening thereof and has a locking mechanism with a plate that is rotatable to position projecting portions in relation to a set of parts of the housing. In one position of the plate, corresponding to an unlocked state, the projecting portions are located to clear the set of housing parts allowing insertion of the money box assembly into the housing, and removal therefrom. In another position of the plate, corresponding to a locked state, the projecting portions engage and interfere with the set of housing parts to securely lock the money box assembly to the housing.

Cylindrical money box assembly

A combination coin operated mechanism and a non-reusable frangible coin-simulating element that is operative to activate the mechanism. The mechanism is of the type having a coin slide which is adapted to receive the frangible element, and wherein the presence of said element in the mechanism is operative to allow projected movement of the coin slide to an operative position. A camming plate is provided to engage with and deflect the frangible element upon projected movement of the coin slide. A constraining plate is also provided to engage with the deflected frangible element upon projected movement of the coin slide and limit further movement of said element, whereby said element fractures upon continued projected movement of said slide. The camming plate and the constraining plate are also responsive to the presence of a non-fracturable element in the coin operated mechanism to cause said non-fracturable element to jam said mechanism and prevent the continued movement of the coin slide toward its operative position.

Coin operating mechanism utilizing a non-reusable frangible

A money box support arrangement in a housing for receiving a lockable money box of the type having transversely extendable locking bolts, which support arrangement secures the money box against removal from the housing. On the housing is provided a wall having an opening into which the money box is inserted, and positioned within the housing behind said wall is a frame secured to the housing. The frame has an opening for the insertion therethrough of the money box and flanges spaced with respect to said wall to define therewith channels that receive and confine the locking bolts of the money box to secure it against further movement relative to the housing, either inwardly or outwardly, thereby preventing removal of the money box by prying.

Money box support arrangement

An anti-slug mechanism for use in combination with a coin operated device has a projection, carried on the coin carrier, which abuts or otherwise engages a stop carried on the anti-coin return spring of the device to limit the extent to which a coin may travel within the coin operated device when the coin is of an improper size.

Anti-slug mechanism for a coin operated device

An access door locking mechanism for a coin operated apparatus wherein the housing for the apparatus is formed having an opening in a wall portion to provide access to said apparatus. A door is mounted on the housing and is disposed for movement from a releasable position to a secured position relative to the housing wall opening. The door and the housing are each provided with members adapted to interengage upon movement of the door to its secured position for retaining the door in place. The door and housing are further provided with complementary interfitting portions for making the outer surface of the door flush with the outer surface of the housing when the door is in its secured position. The door is further provided with an outwardly projecting irregular shaped portion adapted to receive a wrench having a complementary irregular shaped opening for selectively moving the door between its releasable and secured positions. The mechanism further includes key operated locking means mounted on the housing and having a blocking bar disposed for movement, upon operation of the locking means, to engage with a bracket mounted on the door to prevent movement of the door from its secured position to its releasable position.

Access door locking mechanism for a coin operated apparatus

A control device for a coin operated mechanism wherein the duration of the operating cycle of the mechanism is determined by the number of coins deposited in the device. Restraining structure is provided in the control device to prevent the inadvertent initiation of the operating cycle after the mechanism has completed a cycle of operation, or to prevent the unauthorized initiation of said operating cycle without first depositing the proper number of coins in the device.

A removable funnel for a coin operated apparatus is disclosed which serves to catch coins deposited in the housing of the apparatus and direct said coins to a coin receiving location within said housing. The funnel is provided with hook members which engage with a support member positioned within the housing. Such engagement permits movement of the mounted funnel from a first position wherein the funnel is removable from the housing to a second position wherein the funnel is prevented from being removed therefrom. The funnel further includes a locking tab which projects through an opening in the support member, and which is disposed for bending movement from an unlocked position to a locked position when the mounted funnel is in its second position. The support member is provided with a blocking tab which is located to prevent bending movement of the locking tab to its locked position when the mounted funnel is in its first position. The location of the blocking tab is such that it also engages with the locking tab when the funnel is in its second position and the locking tab is bent to its locked position to thereby prevent movement of the funnel from its second position to its removable first position.

Growing community of inventors

Whitestone, NY, United States of America

Harry Greenwald