JP4734430B2 - Medals supply machine - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a medal supply machine that supplies medals to each medal gaming machine and medal lending machine on an island.

  A conventional medal supply machine is disclosed in Patent Document 1. This technology provides a supply conveyor that supplies medals to each medal gaming machine and medal lending machine above the island, and a collection conveyor that collects medals discharged from each medal gaming machine below the island. The medals recovered by the recovery conveyor are washed and polished, supplied to the start end of the supply conveyor, and circulated.

  This medal feeder is provided with a hopper for storing washed and polished medals at a position above the starting end of the supply conveyor, and drops the medals from the discharge port of the hopper and supplies them to the supply conveyor. At that time, the supply amount can be limited. A specific example of the limiting means is shown in FIG. In the figure, 10 is a supply conveyor, 10a is a side wall, 11 is a hopper, 11a is a discharge port, 12 is a small conveyor, and m is a medal.

  FIGS. 5A and 5B show a method in which an interval is formed between the lower end of the discharge port 11a of the hopper 11 and the supply conveyor 10, and the supply amount of medals m is limited by the interval. However, in this technique, if the interval is large as shown in FIG. 5A, a large amount of medals m may be supplied and overflow from the side wall 10a of the supply conveyor 10. As shown in FIG. Is small, the medal m may be clogged at the discharge port 11a.

  Further, FIG. 5C shows that a small conveyor 12 whose conveying speed is lower than that of the supply conveyor 10 is provided between the discharge port 11a of the hopper 11 and the supply conveyor 10, and that the difference in speed is on the small conveyor 12. This is a method in which stacked medals m can be supplied after being dropped to an appropriate amount. However, this technique has a problem that the equipment becomes complicated and large, resulting in high costs.

JP 2007-111153 A

  The problem to be solved by the present invention is to solve these conventional problems and to provide a low-cost medal supply machine that can stably supply medals without overflowing or clogging.

The configuration of the present invention that solves this problem is as follows.
1) A supply conveyor for supplying medals to each medal gaming machine or medal lending machine is provided above the island where a plurality of medal gaming machines or medal lending machines are arranged, and a medal is positioned above the starting end of the supply conveyor. A medal supply machine provided with a supply amount limiting device that restricts the supply amount of medals in the vicinity of the discharge port of the hopper, the supply amount limiting device at a position in front of the discharge port of the hopper An inclined plate with its front end facing upwards at an angle according to the height of the medals in contact with the medal is pivotally supported so that it can be seen in the front-rear direction, and the distance from the supply conveyor is changed by the seesaw operation at the rear end of the inclined plate. The medal feeder 2) is characterized in that it has a structure in which a restricting plate for restricting the passage amount of medals is projected downward and urging means for urging the restricting plate upward is provided. Inclined plate The medal feeder 3) described in 1) above, which is curved from the fulcrum into an arc with a predetermined radius. 3) The urging means is a weight provided at the front portion of the inclined plate, as described in 1) or 2) above. Medal supply machine 4) The supply amount limiting device is detachably attached to the hopper. The medal supply machine 5) according to any one of 1) to 3), wherein the inclined plate is made of spring steel. The medal feeder 6) according to any one of 1) to 4). The medal feeder according to any one of 1) to 5), wherein the limiting plate is made of spring steel.

  According to the present invention, when a large number of medals pass up the inclined plate, the limiting plate descends and the next passing medal is limited to a small amount, and when a small amount of medals pass up the inclined plate, the limiting plate moves upward. The number of medals that pass after the transition will increase. By this seesaw operation of the inclined plate, supply of an excessive amount is suppressed and clogging is hardly generated. Further, since the supply amount limiting device is provided in the vicinity of the discharge port of the hopper, the structure is simple and the facility does not increase in size.

It is explanatory drawing of the medal supply machine of an Example. It is explanatory drawing of the supply amount restriction | limiting apparatus of an Example. It is explanatory drawing which shows the restriction | limiting of the medal supply amount of an Example. It is a graph which shows the supply amount of medals of an Example. It is explanatory drawing of the conventional medal supply machine.

  In the present invention, when the configuration described in 2) is provided, the contact portion of the restriction plate with the medal moves right above, and the friction with the medal is reduced, so that it can move smoothly. If it is flat, the contacting medal is pushed up, and it may be difficult to move smoothly. As the urging means described in the above 3), in addition to the weight provided at the front portion of the inclined plate, a spring for pushing down the inclined plate, a spring for pulling the limiting plate, or the like can be used. When the configuration described in 4) is provided, it can be retrofitted to an existing hopper and can be implemented at low cost. If the structure of said 4 and 5) is comprised, when a medal contacts an inclination board and a restriction | limiting board, it will elastically deform and let a medal pass easily, and it can prevent clogging when a lot of medal contacts. Moreover, the impact at the time of grounding to a supply conveyor can also be relieved. Embodiments of the present invention will be specifically described below with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of a medal supply machine according to an embodiment, FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of a supply amount limiting device according to the embodiment, FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram illustrating limitation of the medal supply amount according to the embodiment, and FIG. It is a graph which shows the supply amount of. In the figure, 1 is a medal game machine, 2 is a medal lending machine, 3 is a supply conveyor, 3a is a side wall, 3b is a gate, 4 is a recovery conveyor, 5 is a medal supply machine, 5a is a lifter, 5b is a cleaning and polishing device, 5c Is a hopper, 5d is a discharge port, 6 is a supply amount limiting device, 6a is an inclined plate, 6b is a base, 6c is a pivot piece, 6d is a protrusion, 6e is a limiting plate, 6f is a weight (biasing means), and 6g is A fixture, 6h is a locking hole, 6i is a screw, 6j is a pivot shaft, 6k is a contact plate, 6m is a leaf spring, 6n is a stopper, and m is a medal.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the medal game facility of this embodiment is provided with a supply conveyor 3 for supplying medals m to an upper position of an island where a plurality of medal game machines 1 and a medal lending machine 2 are arranged. A collection conveyor for collecting the medals m discharged from the medal gaming machine 1 at a position below the island is provided at a position directly above the machine 1 and the medal lending machine 2 for guiding the medals m on the supply conveyor 3 and taking them into the machine. 4, and a medal feeder 5 is provided at the end of the island for cleaning and polishing the medals m collected by the collection conveyor 4 and supplying the medals m to the starting end of the supply conveyor 3.

  The medal supply machine 5 is provided with a lifter 5a for transporting the recovered medal m upward, a cleaning polishing device 5b for cleaning and polishing the medal m transported by the lifter 5a, and a medal cleaned and polished by the cleaning polishing device 5b. A hopper 5c for storing m is provided, and a supply amount limiting device 6 for limiting the supply amount of medals m discharged in the vicinity of the discharge port 5d of the hopper 5c is provided.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the supply amount limiting device 6 has a pedestal 6b attached to the upper part of the inclined plate 6a, and the middle part of the front and rear of the pedestal 6b is pivotally supported on the pivot shaft 6j of the pivot piece 6c so as to be seesaw. A limiting plate 6e is projected downward at the rear end of the inclined plate 6a, a weight 6f is placed on the front portion of the base 6b, and a fixture 6g having an engagement hole 6h is attached to the lower surface of the hopper 5c. The protrusion 6d provided on the piece 6c is locked in the locking hole 6h of the fixture 6g and fixed so as to be detachable with a screw 6i.

  A backing plate 6k is vertically attached to the rear upper surface of the inclined plate 6a, and a leaf spring 6m curved at the rear of the pivot piece 6c is attached so as to always contact the contacting plate 6k, and the inclined plate 6a is tilted by the weight 6f. In doing so, it is possible to gently ground the supply conveyor 3 by elastic deformation of the leaf spring 6m. At the rear end of the fixture 6g, a stopper 6n that limits the tilting of the inclined plate 6a is formed by contacting the limiting plate 6e. The inclined plate 6a and the limiting plate 6e are made of spring steel.

  The tip of the inclined plate 6a is slightly curved upward so that the rear medal m can be easily pushed up without catching the inclined plate 6a. The limiting plate 6e is curved in a circular arc shape having a predetermined radius from the pivot point of the inclined plate 6a, and when the limiting plate 6e moves upward, friction with the medal m is reduced so that the limiting plate 6e can move smoothly. The protruding length of the limiting plate 6e is formed so that the tip of the inclined plate 6a does not exceed the side wall 3a of the supply conveyor 3 when the limiting plate 6e contacts the supply conveyor 3. The weight 6f is formed in such a weight that the inclined plate 6a can be grounded to the supply conveyor 3 when not supplied and can be easily pushed up when it comes into contact with the rear medal m.

  In this embodiment, when not supplied, as shown in FIG. 2, the front end of the inclined plate 6a is inclined downward by the weight 6f and is grounded to the supply conveyor 3, and the limiting plate 6e is positioned at the top. As shown in FIG. 3 (a), when the supply conveyor 3 is operated and the medals m of the hopper 5c are discharged from the discharge port 5d, the restriction plate 6e is dropped on the supply conveyor 3 and a large number of sheets are stacked. Pass below.

  Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 3B, the stacked medals m push up the inclined plate 6a from the rear, and simultaneously with the push-up, the limiting plate 6e is lowered to reduce the distance from the supply conveyor 3. The medals m below the inclined plate 6a are supplied while being pushed up while the inclined plate 6a is pushed up, and the subsequent stacked medals m pass while being restricted in height at a reduced interval. The limited succeeding medal m is similarly supplied while passing up while pushing up the inclined plate 6a, and further, the succeeding medal m is also passed while being restricted in height by being pushed up, and this movement is continuously supplied. The

  When a large amount of medals m are discharged, the inclined plate 6a is pushed up greatly and passes smoothly without clogging. However, the restricting plate 6e is greatly lowered and the passage amount of the succeeding medal m is greatly restricted, and an excessive amount of the medal m is not continuously supplied. Thus, when a large amount of medals m pass through the inclined plate 6a, the medals m passing through the limiting plate 6e are limited to a small amount, and when a small amount of medals m pass through the inclined plate 6a, the medals m passing through the limiting plate 6e increase. However, the seesaw operation of the inclined plate 6a suppresses an excessive amount of supply and prevents clogging.

  The prior arts shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B are the conventional examples 1 and 2, and the supply amount of medals m is compared with the present example. As shown in FIG. 4, in the present embodiment, although it fluctuates due to the seesaw operation of the inclined plate 6 a, the supply amount does not continue above or below the proper value, and is stable as a whole. Conventional Example 1 is difficult to be clogged because the gap between the discharge port 11a of the hopper 11 and the supply conveyor 10 is large, but an excessive amount is continuously supplied from the beginning, and easily overflows from the side wall 10a of the supply conveyor 10. In Conventional Example 2, an appropriate amount is initially supplied, but the interval is small, so that it is likely to be clogged, and once clogged, the supply may stagnate without recovery.

  The present embodiment A is an example in which a light weight 6f is used, and the inclined plate 6a is an example in which the medals m are continuously supplied without being completely grounded to the supply conveyor 3. The present embodiment B is an example in which a relatively heavy weight 6f is used, and the inclined plate 6a contacts the supply conveyor 3 and the medals m are intermittently supplied. In this case, since the supply of the medal m is interrupted, it becomes difficult for the gate 3b to pinch the medal m between the transport surface when the gate 3b is operated. When the gate 3b sandwiches the medal m, a gap is formed and the medal m passes, and it may be difficult to quickly take in the required amount of the medal m.

  The technology of the present invention is used in equipment for supplying medals to a medal gaming machine such as a slot machine or a medal lending machine that rents medals for the medal gaming machine to a player.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Medal gaming machine 2 Medal lending machine 3 Supply conveyor 3a Side wall 3b Gate 4 Collection conveyor 5 Medal supply machine 5a Lifter 5b Cleaning and polishing device 5c Hopper 5d Discharge port 6 Supply amount limiting device 6a Inclined plate 6b Pedestal 6c Pivoting piece 6d Projection 6e Limit plate 6f Weight (biasing means)
6g Fixing tool 6h Locking hole 6i Screw 6j Pivoting shaft 6k Contact plate 6m Leaf spring 6n Stopper 10 Supply conveyor 10a Side wall 11 Hopper 11a Discharge port 12 Small conveyor m Medal

Claims (6)

  A supply conveyor for supplying medals to each medal gaming machine or medal lending machine is provided above the island where a plurality of medal gaming machines or medal lending machines are arranged, and the medals are stored above the starting end of the supply conveyor. And a supply amount limiting device for limiting the supply amount of medals in the vicinity of the discharge port of the hopper, wherein the supply amount restriction device has a medal at a position in front of the discharge port of the hopper. An inclined plate with its front end facing upwards at an angle corresponding to the height of the stacked contact is pivotally supported so that it can be seen in the front-rear direction. A medal feeder having a structure in which a restricting plate for restricting the passage amount of the member is provided so as to protrude downward and urging means for urging the restricting plate upward is provided.   The medal feeder according to claim 1, wherein the limiting plate is curved in an arc shape with a predetermined radius from a pivot point of the inclined plate.   The medal supply machine according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the urging means is a weight provided at a front portion of the inclined plate.   The medal feeder according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the supply amount limiting device is detachably attached to the hopper.   The medal feeder according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the inclined plate is made of spring steel.   The medal feeder according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the limiting plate is made of spring steel.

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