Coin bank

Abstract

A coin bank which sorts coins and deposits them in containers is disclosed. A coin or a group of coins is dropped into a coin receiver. Each coin is removed one at a time from the coin receiver and dropped into a helical coin path by a motorized separator mechanism. The coins roll on edge along the coin path where they encounter apertures of varying sizes. When a coin encounters an aperture larger than its diameter, it falls out of the path to a container. A mechanical coin sensor mechanism is provided to start the separator when a coin is sensed in the coin receiver. The sensor mechanism also delays the shut-off of the motor when coins are no longer sensed in the coin receiver. The housing and most parts of the bank are transparent to permit viewing of the sensor mechanism and the coin path.

I claim: 
     
       1. A coin bank for sorting and storing coins of varying sizes, said bank comprising: a coin receiver for receiving unsorted coins, said coin receiver having a sloping planar base, a lowermost portion to which the unsorted coins are directed and a separator member mounted in confronting relation to said planar base such that said separator member is movable in a plane which is parallel to said base, a coin sensor for detecting the presence of a coin in the lowermost portion of the coin receiver and wherein said sensor controls an electric motor for driving said separator member in response to the presence of a coin in the lowermost portion.Iadd., .Iaddend.said separator member having a thickness dimension in a direction perpendicular to said planar base.Iadd., .Iaddend.which .Iadd.thickness dimension .Iaddend.is .[.less than or equal to the thinnest coin to be sorted and stored in said bank.]. .Iadd.approximately equal to a thickness of said planar base.Iaddend., said separator member operating to separate a coin from a group of coins and slide said coin along said planar base to an opening in said planar base where said coin passes through said base under the force of gravity.   
     
     
       2. A coin bank according to claim 1 wherein said sensor is connected to a delay mechanism for delaying a shut-off of power to said motor for a predetermined time. 
     
     
       3. A coin bank according to claim 1 wherein said separator member is a rotatable disk having at least one notch formed therein. 
     
     
       4. A coin bank according to claim 1 wherein said coin bank includes a helical coin path connected to said receiver to accept coins which pass through said opening in said .[.recever.]. .Iadd.receiver .Iaddend.and in which helical coin path the coins roll substantially on their edges and fall to the outside of said helical path. 
     
     
       5. A coin bank according to claim 4 wherein said helical coin path decreases in radius in a direction from the coin receiver to a coin storage container. 
     
     
       6. A coin bank for sorting and storing coins of varying diameters, said coin bank comprising: a coin receiver for receiving unsorted coins;   a plurality of coin storage containers for storing sorted coins;   a helical coin path located between said coin storage containers and said coin receiver;   a separator for removing individual ones of said coins one at a lime from said receiver and depositing each one in said path such that each coin rolls along said path;   a plurality of apertures of varying size, each being sized to permit passage of only coins having a diameter less than or equal to a predetermined distance, said apertures being located along said path such that each said aperture is spaced from the other apertures and are arranged in increasing order of size such that the smallest aperture is located at an upstream portion of said path and the largest aperture is located at a downstream portion of said path;   each coin rolling along said helical coin path substantially on its edge and falling to the outside of said helical coin path and through one of said apertures; and   wherein a coin storage container is located adjacent each said aperture to catch coins of a particular size which pass through said apertures from said path.   
     
     
       7. A coin bank according to claim 6 wherein said coin path has a cylindrical outer wall for guiding coins in said path such that a portion of a face of each coin rolling along said path contacts said outer wall and wherein said apertures are formed in said outer wall. .[.8. A coin bank according to claim 6 wherein said coin receiver includes a coin sensor for sensing the presence of a coin and for controlling said separator..]..[.9. A coin bank according to claim 8 wherein said separator is powered by an electric motor and said coin sensor forms part of a switching mechanism which controls the power supply to said separator..]..[.10. A coin bank according to claim 9 wherein said switching mechanism operates to turn off power to said separator after a predetermined time has elapsed from a time when the absence of a coin is sensed by said sensor..]..[.11. A coin bank according to claim 10 wherein said switching mechanism includes a timing mechanism for delaying the turning off of said separator after the absence of coins in said receiver is sensed..]..[.12. A coin bank for sorting and storing coins of varying diameters, said coin bank comprising: a coin receiver for receiving unsorted coins;   a plurality of coin storage containers for storing sorted coins;   a coin path located between said coin storage containers and said coin receiver;   a plurality of apertures of varying size, each being sized to permit passage of only coins having a diameter less than or equal to a predetermined distance, said apertures being located along said path such that each said aperture is spaced from the other apertures and are arranged in order of size;   wherein a coin storage container is located adjacent each said aperture to catch coins of a particular size which pass through said apertures from said path;   a cam and follower mechanism connected to said containers for moving said   
     
     
        containers outwardly of said bank to facilitate their removal..].13. A coin bank for sorting and storing coins of varying sizes, said bank comprising: a coin receiver for receiving unsorted coins, said receiver having a sloping planar base and a separator member mounted in confronting relation to said planar base such that said separator member is movable in a plane which is parallel to said base, said separator member having a thickness dimension in a direction perpendicular to said planar base.Iadd., .Iaddend.which .Iadd.thickness dimension .Iaddend.is .[.less than or equal to the thinnest coin to be sorted and stored in said bank.]. .Iadd.approximately equal to a thickness of said planar base.Iaddend., said separator member operating to separate a coin from a group of coins and slide said coin along said planar base to an opening in said planar base where said coin passes through said base under the force of gravity, said coin receiver includes a coin sensor for detecting the presence of a coin in the lowermost portion of the coin receiver and wherein said sensor controls an electric motor for driving said separator member and said sensor is connected to a delay mechanism for delaying a shut-off of power to said motor for a predetermined time. .[.14. A coin bank for sorting and storing coins of varying diameters, said coin bank comprising:   a coin receiver for receiving unsorted coins;   a plurality of coin storage containers for storing sorted coins;   a helical coin path located between said coin storage containers and said coin receiver;   a separator for removing individual ones of said coins one at a time from said receiver and depositing each one in a said path such that each coin rolls edgewise along said path;   a plurality of apertures of varying size, each being sized to permit passage of only coins having a diameter less than or equal to a predetermined distance, said apertures being located along said path such that each said aperture is spaced from the other apertures and are arranged in increasing order of size such that the smallest aperture is located at an upstream portion of said path and the largest aperture is located at a downstream portion of said path;   wherein a coin storage container is located adjacent each said aperture to catch coins of a particular size which pass through said apertures from said path; and   wherein said coin path has a cylindrical outer wall for guiding coins in said path such that a portion of a face of each coin rolling along said path contacts said outer wall and wherein said apertures are formed in said outer wall..]..[.15. A coin bank according to claim 14 further including a coin sensor in said coin receiver for sensing the presence of a coin, said separator is powered by an electric motor and said coin sensor forms part of a switching mechanism which controls the power supply to said separator, wherein said switching mechanism operates to turn off power to said separator after a predetermined time has elapsed from a time   
     
     
        when the absence of a coin is sensed by said sensor..]..Iadd.16.  A coin handler for sorting and storing coins, said handler comprising: a housing having an upper portion, a middle portion, and a lower portion;   a funnel for receiving unsorted coins, said funnel located at the upper portion of said housing;   a coin receiver for receiving unsorted coins from said funnel, said coin receiver located below said funnel, said coin receiver having a generally circular separator member for separating the coins, said coin receiver located at the upper portion of said housing;   four coin storage containers for storing sorted coins, said four coin storage containers disposed on a common plane at the lower portion of said housing; and,   a coin path disposed within the housing, said coin path communicating said coin receiver with said four coin storage storage containers, said coin path having a width less than a height of said coin path, said coin path located at the middle portion of said housing. .Iaddend..Iadd.17. A coin handler according to claim 16 wherein said coin receiver is adapted to receive a plurality of coins simultaneously. .Iaddend..Iadd.18. A coin handler according to claim 16 wherein said coin receiver includes a sloped planar base on which is mounted the separator member. .Iaddend..Iadd.19. A coin handler according to claim 18 wherein the separator member comprises a disk having at least one notch formed therein. .Iaddend..Iadd.20. A coin handler according to claim 18 wherein said coin receiver includes a lever at a lower portion of the sloped planar base. .Iaddend..Iadd.21. A coin handler according to claim 16 wherein said coin path is helical. .Iaddend..Iadd.22. A coin handler according to claim 16 wherein a portion of each of said plurality of coin storage containers is located laterally   
     
     
        outwardly of said coin path. .Iaddend..Iadd.23.  A coin handler according to claim 16 wherein the housing includes four apertures at the middle portion of said housing, each aperture located above one of said plurality of coin storage containers, each aperture passing coins of a uniform diameter therethrough. .Iaddend..Iadd.24. A coin handler according to claim 16 wherein said four coin storage containers are cylindrical and have an inner diameter only slightly larger than a diameter of the coins being stored therein so that the coins are stacked in a column. .Iaddend..Iadd.25. A coin bank for sorting and storing coins, said bank comprising: a funnel for receiving unsorted coins, said funnel located at the upper portion of said housing;   a coin receiver for receiving unsorted coins from said funnel, said coin receiver located below said funnel, said coin receiver having a generally circular separator member for separating the coins, said coin receiver located at the upper portion of said housing;   four coin storage containers for storing sorted coins, said four coin storage containers disposed on a common plane at the lower portion of said housing; and,   a coin path disposed within the housing, said coin path communicating said coin receiver with said four coin storage containers, said coin path located at the middle portion of said housing, said coin path having a generally vertical surface and a generally horizontal surface, the generally vertical surface having four spaced apertures, each aperture being located generally above a respective one of said four coin storage containers, each aperture passing coins of a uniform diameter therethrough. .Iaddend..Iadd.26. A coin bank according to claim 25 wherein said coin receiver is adapted to receive a plurality of coins simultaneously. .Iaddend..Iadd.27. A coin bank according to claim 25 wherein said coin receiver includes a sloped planar base on which is mounted the separator member. .Iaddend..Iadd.28. A coin bank according to claim 27 wherein the separator member comprises a disk having at least one notch formed therein. .Iaddend..Iadd.29. A coin bank according to claim 27 wherein said coin receiver includes an actuating arm at a lower portion of the sloped planar base. .Iaddend..Iadd.30. A coin bank according to claim   
     
     
        25 wherein said coin path is helical. .Iaddend..Iadd.31.  A coin bank according to claim 25 wherein a portion of each of said four coin storage containers is located laterally outwardly of said coin path. .Iaddend..Iadd.32. A coin bank according to claim 25 wherein said coin path has a width less than a height of said coin path. .Iaddend..Iadd.33. A coin bank according to claim 25 wherein the housing includes four apertures at the middle portion of said housing, each aperture located above one of said four coin storage containers, each aperture passing coins of a uniform diameter therethrough. .Iaddend..Iadd.34. A coin bank according to claim 25 wherein said four coin storage containers are cylindrical. .Iaddend..Iadd.35. A coin bank for sorting and storing coins, said bank comprising: a housing having an upper portion, a middle portion, and a lower portion;   a coin receiver for receiving unsorted coins, said coin receiver located at the upper portion of said housing;   four coin storage containers for storing sorted coins, each of said coin storage containers disposed on a common plane; and,   a helical coin path communicating said coin receiver with said four coin storage containers, said helical coin path located at the middle portion of said housing wherein a portion of each of said plurality of said four coin storage containers is located radially outwardly of said helical coin path. .Iaddend..Iadd.36. A coin bank according to claim 35 wherein said coin receiver is adapted to receive a plurality of coins simultaneously. .Iaddend..Iadd.37. A coin bank according to claim 35 further comprising a funnel, which feeds coins to the coin receiver, said funnel located at the upper portion of said housing. .Iaddend..Iadd.38. A coin bank according to claim 35 wherein said coin receiver includes a sloped planar base and a separator member. .Iaddend..Iadd.39. A coin bank according to claim 38 wherein the separator member comprises a disk having at least one notch formed therein. .Iaddend..Iadd.40. A coin bank according to claim 38 wherein said coin receiver includes a lever at a lower portion of the   
     
     
        sloped planar base. .Iaddend..Iadd.41.  A coin bank according to claim 35 wherein said coin path has a width less than a height of said coin path. .Iaddend..Iadd.42. A coin bank according to claim 35 wherein the housing includes four apertures at the middle portion of said housing, each aperture located above a respective one of said four coin storage containers, each aperture passing coins of a uniform diameter therethrough. .Iaddend..Iadd.43. A coin bank according to claim 35 wherein said four coin storage containers are cylindrical. .Iaddend.