Importance

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Abstract

A device for monitoring the coins in one or more coin tubes on a vending machine to maintain a running total of the coins therein that are available to pay back excess deposits and to make refunds. The device may include one or more coin tubes for containing a supply of coins of respective denominations, the coin tubes being included in a coin unit for receiving coins deposited in the vending machine and for directing the coins to the respective coin tubes. The coin unit includes an accumulator associated with each coin tube for counting each coin that enters therein and for subtracting therefrom the number of coins paid out, each of the accumulators including a mechanism for establishing a minimum and a maximum number of coins that can be maintained in the coin tube. The coin unit also has a deflector device that is responsive to the mechanism that establishes the maximum number of coins in each respective coin tube and is operable to prevent further deposited coins from entering the coin tube when there are a maximum number of coins therein, and the coin unit has a device that is responsive to the mechanism that establishes the minimum number of coins to inhibit the paying out of further coins therefrom when the number therein is at a minimum. The device may also have a display device operatively connected to the accumulators to display the number of coins in the respective coin tubes.

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First Claim