Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
BACK~ROUND OF THE INVENTION
Thi~ invention relates to improvements in ticlcet vending or issuing mechanisms
and machines incorporating the same. The new ticket issuing mechanism provides
a reliable, simple, efficient and economical method of dispensing web ~ed tickets.
Said machine embodies a method of maintaining issue control, only one ticket peroperation is ~ended, and incorporates mechanisms for ticket jam detect, ticket
presence detect, enhances ticket shearing and the addition of a printing mechanism.
To date the initial embodiment of this style of mechanism has been purely
mechanical in nature employing a mechanical slide (coin slide) to cause the
issuance of a ticket. The mechanism involves a number of gears and cogs to
ensure only one ticket is vended. These mechanisms are subject to jamming and
misthreading of the ticket material due to misalignment and general wear of the
mechanism. They rely OIl spring tension, are in need of frequent attention and are
only useable with a mechanical slide actuator or some other mechanical activatorto drive the mechanism. The key features of this type of mechanism are that they:
o Do not require connection to eIectrical (AC) power
o Make use of a web s~le conti~uous ticket with predefined perforations.
o Have the vendee tear off the ticket once it has been vended by the
mechanism.
o Prevent the vendee obtaining more than one ticket per issuance operation.
CSI Doc# 911205-1300
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Patent Application - Electro-Mechanical Ticket Dispenser 2
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~hile these mechanisms are useful they do not allow for electronic
(microprocessor) control and issuance now needed. The -following invention
maintains and enhances all the features of a mechanical mechanism but is derived~or and predicated on providing highly efficient and economical electronic control.
The major problems with electronic mechanisms revolve around ensuring the ticketissuance of only one ticket, preventing ticket issuance when the unit is not powered
and detecting ticket jams since the vendee is ultimately responsible for removing
the ticket. The new mechanism provides electromechanical operation suitable -formicroprocessor control while still providing mechanical operation from a coin
slide.
As shown in Figures 1 and 2 the invention comprises a specialized sel~-locking
rotation mechanism ~5 and 20 that together with the correct gearing system 24 and
26 issue the ticket 49 to the point the vendee will tear it o-ff. The rotation
mechanism executes the "one ticket only per issuance" control and the ticket
locking during power down requirement in a very timely and e-f~lcient manner,
very speedy ticket ejection is possible. The exact angular displacement of the
rotation mechanism and the use o-f the gearing and toothed wheels allows correctdispensing of web fed ticl~ets. The combination of the rotation mechanism and
gearing allows the system to be driven by a small low power motor 10 which
permits the option of battery power while maintaining signi~1cant operational
lifetime. Jam detect is affected through the hinged ticket cover plate 64 while the
enhanced ticket tear is achieved by the custom edged lower plate 60 under the jam
detect cover. An additional optional optical sensor 25 indicates the ticket h~s
moved and is present by sensing the holes on the edges 47 of the web fed ticket
stock.
An adjunct to the issuing mechanism is a method to mark the tickets with
information, typically date and time. An embodiment of this invention is the
addition of an electronic thermal print head that has fully de~lned numeric and/or
alphanumeric elements 90 such that the relevant information is printed without
moving either the printhead or said ticket web. Previously such printing required
a mechanical means for stamping the information or the synchronized movement
of the paper and/or the electronic print mechanism such as a common of-fice dot
matrix printer. Said mechanical means are subject to timing problems and have
a complex mechanical nature that is subject to erratic operation and or failure.Said synchronized printing involves a very intricate and expensive drive
mechanism and controller, which is also subject to erratic operation and or -failure
due to the nature of the drive mechanisms and printheads. The embodiment
mentioned above is simple, independent of the drive mechanism ancl robust.
CSI Doc# 911205-1300
Patent Application - Electro-Mechanical Ticket Dispenser 2 ~ ~ 7 ~ 2 0
~ESCRIP~ION OF DI~AWINGS
A suggested embodiment of the invention will be described with reference to tl~eaccompanying drawings:
Figure 1) Side view with Locking/Drive Mechanism and internals shown
Figure 2) Rear view of mechanism
Figure 3) One type of webbed ticket
Figure 4a to g) Detail of operation of Locking/Drive Mechanism
Figure 5) Thermal printhead layout
Figure S) Tear plate edge modification
DETAILED DESCRIPIION WITH RE~FERENCE TO THE I)lRAWINGS
The motor and gear reduction box 10 actuate and turn one part 15 of theLocking/Drive Mechanism (LDM) that is attached to the shaft 30 of the motor
gear box 10. Part one 15 of the LDM interacts and turns part two 20 of the LDM
by way of interacting cam followers 18a and lRb. Part two 20 of t~e LDM is
secured to shaft 22, rotation of part two 20 of the LDM rotates shaft 22 which in
turn rotates gear 24 which is attached to shaft 22. Gear 24 interacts with gear 26
and turns shaft 28 which has Gear 26 affixed to it. Tractor feed sprockets 40 and
42 are affixed to shaft 28 in a spaced relation each of which is provided on itsperiphery with a plurality of spaced teeth 44. Sprockets 40 and 42 rotate with the
shaft 28 and engage with the spaced marginal apertures 47 in a ticket web 46
having transversely extending perfora~ions 48 de~ming individual tickets 49. Theticket stock 46 shown in Figures l is located beIow the mechanism with the
interconnected tickets being arranged in an alternately disposed stacked relation.
When 40 and 42 rotate in a clockwise direction the ticket web 46 is moved over
the tear plate 60 and under the jam detect plate 64 to protrude ~rom the ticket
dispenser s~ cient ~or the vendee to tear of~ the ticket.
CSI Doc~ 911205-1300
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Patent Application - Ele~tro-Mechanical Ticket Dispenser
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Key to this invention is the capability to actuate positively the tractor feed
sprockets 41) and 42 for a predetermined distance in a clockwise direction -for each
operation of the mechanism to cause a single ticket section of ticket web to
protrude through the horizontal guide plates -formed by the jam detect plate 64 and
the tear plate 60; and the control mechanism of the locking/drive gears, which
embodies a means rendering the machine tamper-proof in the sense that under no
conditions of operation of the mechanism can more than one ticket section 49 peractivation be obtained by the vendee, or operator of the machine. Said control
mechanism attains these goals in the following manner, reference Figure 4a to 4g,
a single turn of the "drive" yoke 15 causes the interaction of the cam followers18a and 18b, mounted 180 degrees opposed on the periphery of said yoke, with
the access slots 21 of the "driven" yoke 2û. Rotation of each cam -follower
through the access slot 21 moves the "driven" yoke 20 a precise angle of rotat;on.
The action of the cam fo}lowers 18a and 18h is shown in Figures 4a thro-ugh 4g
for every 60 degrees of motion of the "drive" yoke 15 an arrow marker 55 has
been added to the figures to better delineate the effective rotation of the tractor
feed wheel 40. Figure 4a shows the mechanism in the home position with home
switch 12 in the home notch 16 of the "drive" yoke 15. In Figure 4b cam
follower 18a is just entering the "driven" yoke 20 access slot 21. Figure 4c shows
the ~lrst cam follower 18a fully engaged in the access slot 21 and the ticket starting
to extend 56 from the tear plate 60. Figure 4d shows the first cam follower 18a
exiting the access slot 21 and the ~icket extended further. Figures 4e, 4f ancl 4g
show the equivalent actions as the second cam follower 18b proceeds through the
same operations while the motor shaft 30 completes a single revolution of the
"drive" yoke 15. When the home switch 12 is again in the notch 16 a complete
ticket has been issued. When the cam follower is not in the access slot 21 the
"driven" yoke 20 is automatically locked by the interaction of the "drive" yoke hub
17 and the "driven" yoke's fluted edges 23.
The detection of a "jammed" or blocked ticket path is embodied with the additionof a pivotally mounted 66 upper guide plate 64 situated above the tear plate 60 in
a manner which causes said guide to touch the tear plate when no ticket web 46
is present but to be separated from the tear plate by the said ticket web when
present, said guide having a minimum curvature and interacting with and activating
a switch 68 mounted in proximity to said plate 64 when the said ticket web 46
movement is blocked from further movement and a complete ticket 49 has not been
vended. Said movement detection being sufficient to detect a jammed ticket web.
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CSI Doc# 911~05-1300
Patent Application - Electro-Mechanical Ticket Dispenser 6~ r, 7 ~ f~ 5
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An adjunct to the issuing mechanism is a method to mark the tickets with
informa~ion, typically date and time. An embodiment of this invention is the
addition of an electronic thexmal print head shown in Figure 5, located adjacentto the jam detect plate 64, that has fully de-~med numeric and/or alphanumeric
elements 90 such that the relevant information is printed without moving either the
printhead or said ticket web. Sa;d printhead contacts said webbed ticket stock 46
as it enters the jam detect plate 64. Said webbed ticket stock 46 has been
precoated with a thermally active transparent ink that blackens when heated
appropriately. Application of current to the appropriate elements 91 of the print
head 95 defimes the information to be printed by heating the correct elements 91to the point the ink on the webbed stock 46 is blackened to form an image.
As shown in Figure 6 the tear plate edge 70 has been modified for enhanced
tearing. As noted above said ticket web 46 has transversely extending perforations
48 de-fining individual tickets 49, said perforations incorporated to delineate the
ticket during the vendee stock. Said enhancement an aid to ensuring the tear
occurs on said perforations even when said ticket is torn off by simply pulling
straight down.
From the foregoing, it can be seen that the ticket issuing mechanism is well
adapted for the attainment of the objects hereinabove set forth, and while a
preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown and described it is to be
understood that all substantial equivalents of said embodiment are within the scope
of the invention.
CSI Doc# 911205-1300
