초록 ▼

Apparatus for use in vending machines and the like using a magnetically encoded token as the value medium. The token is a flat disc with a central aperture and a magnetic track around the periphery for carrying coded data, such as the token value. The apparatus accepts a token inserted in an entry s

Apparatus for use in vending machines and the like using a magnetically encoded token as the value medium. The token is a flat disc with a central aperture and a magnetic track around the periphery for carrying coded data, such as the token value. The apparatus accepts a token inserted in an entry slot and temporarily holds a valid token in spaced supports, which allows undersize tokens to drop through. A valid token is advanced over a read and write head and is rotated for scanning of the magnetic track and updating of the data relative to the current transaction. The token is then released into a collection box or, if there is any remaining value, the token is returned to the customer. Only tokens of the correct size, with the proper aperture and a magnetically encoded periphery will be processed. Undersize and otherwise counterfeit tokens are passed through and oversize tokens will not fit into the entry slot.

대표청구항 ▼

A token handling apparatus for use with a flat disc token having central aperture and a magnetically encodable peripheral track, the token handling apparatus comprising: a housing having a front portion and a rear portion; said housing having a token receiver therein, said receiver having a token re

A token handling apparatus for use with a flat disc token having central aperture and a magnetically encodable peripheral track, the token handling apparatus comprising: a housing having a front portion and a rear portion; said housing having a token receiver therein, said receiver having a token receiving slot with support means for holding a token therein in an initial position; detector means on said housing for sensing the insertion of a token into the receiver; a magnetic read and write head adjacent said receiver; token holding and rotating means responsive to a token received signal from said detector means for rotating a token over said head to scan the peripheral track; said token holding and rotating means including a drive shaft rotatably mounted in said front portion and extending longitudinally from front to rear, the rear end of said shaft having a driven face plate thereon adjacent the initial position of a token in said receiver; said driven face plate being axially slidable on said drive shaft and being biased rearwardly thereon, the rear end of said drive shaft having a centering ball therein normally enclosed by the driven face plate; a sliding shaft axially slidably mounted in said housing coaxial with said drive shaft, and having a rotatable face plate thereon confronting said driven face plate to hold a token therebetween at the initial position; actuating means coupled to said sliding shaft for moving said rotatable face plate against said driven face plate with a token therebetween and retracting the driven face plate forwardly to seat the aperture of the token over said centering ball with the token in a scanning position over said head; and token ejecting means in said receiver, responsive to data on the peripheral track for ejecting a token from the receiver in one of two directions.