摘要 |
A coin-queueing head for positioning in a spaced relationship over a rotating flexible surface to process randomly oriented coins of varying diameters and place them in a single layer, single file, having: a central opening in the head for receiving the randomly oriented coins; a plurality of guides to channel the coins into a queue; an engagement wall extending generally transverse to the travel of the queue and projecting to a distance above the surface sufficient to engage and block passage of one of a pair of stacked coins having a first diameter; and a ramp positioned a distance radially inward a peripheral limit along which the queue travels sufficiently to permit unrestricted travel of the pair of stacked coins therebetween, and a distance before the engagement wall defined by the path of travel of the queue to permit unrestricted travel of the blocked coin of the pair of stacked coins therebetween, both distances being less than a second diameter of the coins to be processed having a diameter greater than the first diameter, the ramp projecting to a distance above the surface sufficient to depress any of the coins having the second diameter and a thickness approximating the height of the pair of stacked coins or greater and traveling under the ramp into the flexible surface to permit their unblocked passage under the engagement wall, whereby when the head is operated with the surface rotating the coins reach the sorting channel in a single layer and a single file ready for sorting by denomination, even when processing coins of the second diameter having a thickness approximating or greater than the height of the pair of stacked coins. |