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:
Jul. 20, 1999
Filed:
Jul. 30, 1997
Steven Michael Faes, Huntsville, AL (US);
Joseph R McGinty, Madison, AL (US);
Paul M Evans, Union Grove, AL (US);
QVEX, Inc., Huntsville, AL (US);
Abstract
A coin escrow apparatus for use with a pay telephone includes a housing defining a coin hopper, a coin acceptance chute, and a coin return chute. The apparatus also includes a door mounted within the housing for selective movement between an escrow position for supporting coins in the hopper, an acceptance position for releasing coins from the hopper to the coin acceptance chute, and a return position for releasing coins from the hopper to the coin return chute. The door includes first and second ends and an underside portion. The apparatus also includes structures for selectively moving the door between its escrow, acceptance, and return positions, including: (a) guide elements for guiding the door for pivotal movement in a first direction and in a second direction opposite to the first direction; (b) a pivotal support element positioned below the door and having an upper portion engaging the underside of the door intermediate the first and second ends of the door, the pivotal support element pivoting about a pivot axis below the door; and (c) an actuator for pivoting the pivotal support element.