Coin stacker

Abstract

The top end portion of the outer peripheral surface of a coin feeding roller ( 4 ) protrudes in a stacking section ( 3 ) as a rotating friction surface ( 40 ) so as to correspond to the end portion of a coin passage ( 1 ). A plurality of coins (C) are conveyed to the end portion of the coin passage ( 1 ) in a row in a direction of diameter of the coins by means of a conveying mechanism ( 2 ). The rotating friction surface ( 40 ) of the feeding roller rotates while contacting the lower surface of the conveyed coin (C), to cause the coin to get over the rotating friction surface from an upstream side to a downstream side of the friction surface with respect to the direction of rotation thereof. Thus, the roller ( 4 ) displaces the trailing edge of the previously conveyed coin upwards so that the leading edge of a subsequently conveyed coin can enter between the previously conveyed coin and the friction surface. By repeating this operation, a plurality of conveyed coins are sequentially stacked in the stacking section. By thus stacking the coins by the feeding roller ( 4 ) having the cylindrical rotating friction surface ( 40 ), it is possible to avoid functional restrictions caused by the relationship between the length of a tooth and the diameter of the coins in a conventional toothed roller.

1 . A coin stacking apparatus comprising: 
 a coin passage for guiding a plurality of coins in a row in a direction of diameter of the coins;    a conveying mechanism for conveying the coins along said coin passage;    a coin stacking section provided so as to correspond to the end portion of said coin passage, for stacking the coins that have been conveyed by said conveying mechanism, in a row in a direction of thickness of the coins; and    a coin feeding member for sequentially stacking the conveyed coins that have been conveyed to an end portion of said coin passage, in said stacking section, 
 wherein said feeding member has a cylindrical rotating friction surface protruding in said stacking section so as to correspond to the end portion of said coin passage, and  
 said rotating friction surface rotates while contacting one surface of the conveyed coin, to cause the coin to get over from an upstream side to a downstream side of said friction surface with respect to the direction of rotation thereof, to displace the trailing edge of the coin in the stacking direction so that the leading edge of a subsequently conveyed coin is capable of entering between the previously conveyed coin and said friction surface.  
   
     
     
         2 . The coin stacking apparatus as set forth in  claim 1 , further comprising a driving system for rotating the friction surface of said feeding member.  
     
     
         3 . The coin stacking apparatus as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein said feeding member is formed so that said friction surface is capable of freely rotating in the direction of rotation based on said driving system.  
     
     
         4 . The coin stacking apparatus as set forth in any one of claims  1  through  3 , wherein irregularities are formed on the friction surface of said feeding member.  
     
     
         5 . The coin stacking apparatus as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the position of said feeding member with respect to said coin passage is adjustable in accordance with the diameter of the coins.  
     
     
         6 . The coin stacking apparatus as set forth in  claim 1  or  5 , wherein a stopping member having a contact surface contacting the leading edge of the coin that has got over the friction surface is provided on the downstream side of said friction surface with respect to the direction of rotation thereof, and 
 the distance between an axis of rotation of the friction surface of said feeding member and the contact surface of said stopping member is adjustable in accordance with the diameter of the coins.  
 
     
     
         7 . The coin stacking apparatus as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said stacking section is configured to stack the coins substantially vertically upwards, and 
 said coin stacking apparatus further comprises a coin presser mechanism for always downwardly pressing an upper surface of an uppermost coin stacked in said stacking section by dead weight.    
     
     
         8 . The coin stacking apparatus as set forth in  claim 7 , wherein said presser mechanism has a presser member movable in a coin stacking direction while contacting the upper surface of the uppermost coin, and a weight member connected to the presser member via an elastic member.