The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 23, 1999
Filed:
Sep. 20, 1997
Gerald B McGough, Huntsville, AL (US);
Quadrum Telecommunications, Inc., Huntsville, AL (US);
Abstract
A coin return apparatus, for use with a pay telephone, which provides a discontinuous coin return path between the coin return structure and the coin discharge opening of the pay telephone and which resists 'stuffing', 'stringing', and 'pinning'. The coin return apparatus includes a housing which is mountable within the pay telephone and a movable door mounted to the housing. The housing includes a chamber therein and a first opening which is communicable with a passageway of a coin return structure of the pay telephone and which is selectively communicable with the chamber. The housing further includes a second opening which is communicable with the environment about the pay telephone and which is selectively communicable with the chamber. The movable door is movable between first and second positions relative to the housing. The presence of the movable door in the first position enables removal of coins present in the chamber through the second opening of the housing and disables passage through the first opening from the chamber. The presence of the movable door in the second position enables the delivery of coins into the chamber through the first opening and disables passage through the second opening to the chamber.