BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION For many years, pay telephone owners have relied on employees or contractors to collect money from their pay telephones by traveling to a plurality of pay telephones, by emptying coins previously deposited in the pay telephones, and by transporting the coins back to the owners.

Unfortunately, some of the"collectors"have been less than honest and have stolen large amounts of collected money from the telephone owners. Such theft has been enabled, in part, by the unsupervised access of the collectors to the money and by the absence of any accurate records as to the exact amount of money previously deposited in the pay telephones. Without accurate records, the owner of a pay telephone could not determine whether or not any money had been stolen by a collector. Such theft has also been enabled, in part, by the absence of coin-handling devices designed to prevent theft of money by the collectors. In some older pay telephones, deposited coins fell into open-top hoppers within the pay telephones for keeping until the coins were dumped out of the hoppers and transported to the pay telephone owners by collectors. With unsupervised access to the hoppers, the collectors could brazenly pocket all of the coins from the hoppers or could pocket a portion of the coins from the hoppers, thereby"skimming"money from the owner of a pay telephone.

In an attempt at stemming this theft problem, the manufacturers of newer pay telephones have incorporated, into each pay telephone, a security-sealed coin receptacle box which resides in a steel-reinforced vault within the pay telephone and which receives coins accepted by the pay telephone. To collect the money from the pay telephone, a collector removes the coin receptacle box from the phone's vault, inserts an empty coin receptacle box into the phone's vault, and transports the removed coin receptacle box to the phone's owner. The coin receptacle box is manufactured from steel and has a tamper-resistant cover with an opening that allows accepted coins to pass from the phone's coin handling mechanism into the coin receptacle box for

temporary storage until the box is replaced by a collector. The cover has a pivotally-mounted metal door which automatically rotates into a first position to cover the opening when the coin receptacle box is not within the vault of the pay telephone and which automatically rotates into a second position to uncover the opening (i. e., allowing accepted coins to pass through the opening) when the coin receptacle box resides within the vault of the pay telephone. By limiting access to the coins within the coin receptacle box when the box is outside the pay telephone, the metal door makes it difficult for a collector to gain access to the coins within the box, thereby reducing the opportunity for theft of the coins.

Such prior art metal coin receptacles (boxes) are known for their strength and their resistance to bursting upon impact (it frequently occurs that the collector accidentally drops the coin receptacle). Unfortunately, such metal coin receptacles can be expensive and can require expensive tooling to manufacture. Moreover, by their nature, metal coin receptacles are prone to corrosion in certain environments. Importantly, metal coin receptacles, although resistant to bursting, upon being dropped can be permanently deformed to such an extent that the coin receptacle cannot be fitted back inside the coin vault of the pay telephone. This is so because the coin receptacles are closely matched to the size of the opening of the coin vault. Therefore, any slight change in the shape or size of the coin receptacle can prevent it from being reinserted into a pay telephone.

Recently, Quadrum Telecommunications, Inc., of Huntsville, Alabama (the assignee of the present application) has introduced a telephone housing having a large capacity vault. The large capacity of the vault is achieved partly by increasing the area of the front opening through which the coin receptacle is received and partly by increasing the depth (front-to-back) of the vault. Such a large capacity vault is well-suited to accept a coin receptacle having a greater coin- holding capacity (volume). However, ideally such a large capacity receptacle should be designed to accept a standard receptacle cover in order to ensure compatibility with other manufacturers' coin handling mechanisms.

Accordingly, it can be seen that a need yet remains for a coin receptacle which has a substantially increased capacity, which is compatable with existing receptacle covers, which is inexpensive to manufacture, which has excellent resistance to damage from being dropped, and

which is resistant to corrosion. It is to the provision of such a coin receptacle that the present invention is primarily directed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Briefly described, in a preferred form the present invention comprises a coin receptacle for use with a locking coin receptacle cover and for use within a pay telephone. The coin receptacle comprises a receptacle body having a bottom and four sides extending therefrom. The four sides define a top opening adapted to be covered by a locking coin receptacle cover. The bottom has an area that is substantially larger than an area of the coin receptacle cover (i. e., the coin receptacle has a much larger footprint than the coin receptacle cover). The receptacle body further comprises pull means for facilitating removal of the coin receptacle from a pay telephone.

Preferably, the plastic receptacle body has a wall thickness of typically about 0.094 inches and is made of polycarbonate. Most preferably, the plastic receptacle body is made of GE Lexan 131 and is made by a blow-molding process.

Stated another way, the present invention comprises a coin receptacle for use with a locking coin receptacle cover and for use within a pay telephone. The coin receptacle comprises a receptacle body having a bottom and four sides extending therefrom. The four sides define a top opening adapted to be covered by a locking coin receptacle cover. The four sides and the bottom define an interior volume of at least 1.3 liters or greater. Preferably, the interior volume is about 1.5 liters or more. The receptacle body further comprises pull means for facilitating removal of the coin receptacle from a pay telephone.

Coin receptacles made according to the invention have numerous advantages. Firstly, such coin receptacles provide greatly increased coin capacity and are highly resistant to permanent deformation upon being dropped. Moreover, such a coin receptacle is manufactured easily and inexpensively. Also, it is very resistant to corrosion and is scratch-resistant. Such a coin receptacle also is lower in weight when compared to prior art units.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a coin receptacle which has increased coin holding capacity.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a coin receptacle which is resistant to permanent deformation upon being dropped.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a coin receptacle which is manufactured easily and inexpensively.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a coin receptacle which is scratch- resistant and corrosion-resistant.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a coin receptacle which is durable in construction, economical to manufacture, and reliable in use.

These and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following specification in conjunction with the accompanying drawing figures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a coin receptacle according to a preferred form of the invention, shown with a coin receptacle cover mounted thereon.

Fig. 1A is a sectional view of the coin receptacle of Fig. 1, taken along view lines lA-lA.

Fig. 1B is a detailed, partially cut-away front elevation view of a portion of the coin receptacle of Fig. 1.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the coin receptacle of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3A shows a large capacity coin vault for receiving a large capacity coin receptacle according to a preferred form of the invention, shown in perspective with some elements removed for clarity.

Fig. 3B is a rear perspective view of the coin vault of Fig. 3A.

Fig. 3C is a rear elevation view of a removable vault door portion of the vault of Fig. 3A.

Fig. 3D is a schematic side view of the vault and vault door of Figs. 3A and 3C.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now in detail to the drawing figures, wherein like reference numerals represent like parts throughout the several views, Fig. 1 shows a coin receptacle 10 according to a preferred form of the invention. The coin receptacle 10 is of the type for use with a locking coin receptacle

cover or lid L and for use within a pay telephone. The coin receptacle 10 has a plastic body 11 which is a single piece, blow-molded, and preferably made of polycarbonate. Preferably, the polycarbonate is in the GE Lexan series and most preferably it is GE Lexan 131. Preferably, the body 11 has a typical wall thickness of 0.094 inches.

The body 11 includes a bottom panel 12 and side panels or side walls 13-16. Included among these side walls are a right hand side wall 13, a front side wall 14, a left side wall 15, and a rear side wall 16. The right and left sides 13 and 15 are substantially flat. In contrast thereto, the front side 14 and the rear side 16 are undulated to provide increased stiffness. Moreover, the front side 14 and the rear side 16 are bulged wherever possible to maximize the interior volume of the coin receptacle 10. Likewise, the bottom panel 12 is gusseted or corrugated with left and right gussets 18 and 19 to increase the stiffness of the bottom panel 12.

As shown in Fig. 1A, the lower half 21 of the front wall 14 is bulged outwardly beyond the upper half 22 thereof. As clearly shown in Fig. 1A and in Fig. 1, the footprint or area of the bottom 12 is substantially greater than that of the coin receptacle cover L. Indeed, in the illustrative embodiment shown in the drawing figures, and as particularly seen in Fig. 2, the footprint or area of the bottom 12 is about 68% greater than the area of the coin receptacle cover L. It should be noted that the coin receptacle cover L depicted in the drawing figures conforms to industry standard dimensions in order to allow the coin receptacle 10 to be matched up with various other manufacturers'components. This is important because it is common in the industry for purchasers of pay telephone equipment to mix and match different components from different manufacturers in a single pay telephone. This also allows large capacity coin receptacles to be used with standard, commercially-available coin handling mechanisms (not shown in the figures).

The front wall 14 also includes a central recess 23. Within this central recess 23 a pull ring 24 is pivotally secured to the front wall 14. Preferably, the ends of the pull ring are provided with ferrules or collars which are swaged onto the ends to prevent the ends from being pulled out of the front wall, as might otherwise occur when pulling the pull ring 24 to remove a full (or stuck) coin receptacle 10 from within a pay telephone. As can be seen from the detailed, partially cut-away view of Fig. 1B, the ends of the pull ring 24 extend into the interior of the coin receptacle 10. These ends of the pull ring are securely held inside the coin receptacle 10 by the

provision of the swaged ferrules, such as swaged ferrule 51. Next to each ferrule is a loose washer, such as washer 52. The loose washers are fitted about the pull ring 24 inside the coin receptacle 10. The loose washers avoid undue wear between the metal ferrules and the inside surface of the plastic body 11. The washers help to avoid undue stresses being placed on the plastic body 11 as a result of the end faces of the ferrules not being parallel to the local surface of the plastic body 11.

The front wall 14 also includes a pair of blind holes 26 and 27 for cooperating with unshown extensions from a vault door to ensure that the coin receptacle 10 is fully inserted into the coin vault when the coin vault cover is placed on the pay telephone housing. This complete insertion of the coin receptacle ensures proper alignment between the opening in the coin receptacle cover L and the discharge opening from an unshown coin handling mechanism. It also ensures sufficient minimum clearance of the coin receptacle in relation to the vault door locking mechanism. Furthermore, it ensures compatibility with the industry standard placement of a weldment on the vault door, and accomplishes these objectives while having a minimal negative impact on the coin carrying capacity of the coin receptacle.

The front side 14 also includes a shallow recess 28 for receiving a label, such as to indicate ownership of the coin receptacle. The front side 14 also includes a hasp 29 for cooperating with a downwardly descending tongue portion T of the coin receptacle lid or cover L. The downwardly descending tongue T includes a slot which allows it to be slipped over the hasp 29 to receive a lock or lock wire through a hole in the hasp to secure the coin receptacle cover in place atop the coin receptacle.

The coin receptacle 10 also includes a ledge and rim arrangement on the top of the coin receptacle which operates to stiffen the top of the coin receptacle to prevent the sides from being pushed in and also eliminates a direct path for probes used by vandals to prevent the vandals from getting under the rim of the coin receptacle cover and thereby unlocking the box. In this regard, the ledge and rim arrangement is shown in each of the figures as including a horizontal ledge 31 and an upstanding rim 32 extending perpendicularly thereto. The rim 32 is a not-quite square rectangle which is sized and adapted to receive an industry standard configuration of a coin receptacle cover L thereon. Extending outwardly in three directions therefrom is the ledge 31.

As shown in the various figures, and especially as shown in Fig. 1A, the front wall 14 has a greatly undulated surface which tends to increase the stiffness of the front side 14. Opposite thereto is the rear side 16. As shown in Fig. 2, the rear side 16 includes outer raised ridges 33 and 34 which are separated by a central panel section 36. As shown in Fig. 1A, the central panel section 36 includes a transverse lateral corrugation 37.

Referring still to Fig. 1A, the lid or coin receptacle cover L is mounted to the top of the coin receptacle 10 adjacent a rear edge 38 of the coin receptacle 10. In this regard, it is pointed out the coin receptacle 10 includes a stepped or offset portion adjacent this rear edge, including mounting holes for the cover so that standard covers (lids) can be used and so that a heavy wall section at this highly stressed area can be maintained. It should be noted that the upper end of the central panel 36 includes a first offset portion 41 which is offset or joggled a distance approximately equal to one thickness of the central panel 36. The central panel 36 also includes a second offset portion 42, offset or joggled by an equal amount. Hinge holes (unshown in these figures) are formed along edge 38 adjacent these offsets for receiving tab portions 43 of the lid L therethrough. This provides good vertical and lateral support for the lid L, while at the same providing an excellent contact therebetween to prevent vandalism.

It should be pointed out that the depth (measured front to back) of the coin receptacle 10 is maximized to the greatest extent possible to allow the coin receptacle 10 to use as much of the interior volume of the coin vault of the pay telephone housing as is possible for containing coins, while still clearing various components of the coin vault cover. This provides, in effect, a"glove fit"between the coin receptacle 10 and the interior of the coin vault. This provides maximum coin carrying capacity for the coin receptacle 10. Indeed, coin receptacles according to the present invention yield an increased capacity of approximately 40% to 50% over conventional coin boxes. For example, known prior art metal coin receptacles have an interior volume limited to approximately 1.0 to 1.1 liters, while the interior volume of the coin receptacle 10 is about 1.55 to 1.60 liters. This is a very significant increase, inasmuch as the capacity of the coin receptacle limits how long the pay telephone can go without being serviced. For example, if the usage of a prior art pay telephone would dictate that the pay telephone be serviced every two weeks in order to empty the coin box (receptacle) before it became completely full, the increase in the capacity of the coin receptacle by 50% allows the coin receptacle to be cleared out once

every three weeks, instead of once every two weeks. This represents a substantial savings in both time and money.

Referring now to Fig. 3A, there is shown a vault portion 130 of a housing for use with a coin receptacle 10 according to a preferred form of the invention. The vault 130 depicted in Fig. 3A and Fig. 3B includes first and second sides 131 and 132 and bottom 133 extending therebetween. The vault 130 also includes back and top panels, not shown in this view. A significant feature of the vault 130 is that the majority of the inner rim typically found in prior art vaults has been removed. Indeed, for example, three of the four tongues normally used the prior art devices have been removed in this design. This greatly increases the useful volume of the vault. An outer rim is formed by rim members 136,137 and 138, collectively forming three- fourths of the outer rim. The fourth portion of the outer rim comprises upper vault rim member or flange.

The second rim is formed to be co-extensive with the first rim and spaced therebehind (between the first rim and the back of the vault). The second rim includes a generally J-shaped rim member 141 and a short rim member 142. In this way, there is a front rim and a rearward rim and a groove formed therebetween.

The vault door 145 includes a pair of locking plates 146 and 147, which are extendable between retracted, unlocked positions and extended, locked positions. In the extended, locked position, edge portions of the locking plates 146 and 147 extend laterally outwardly and traverse the edges of the rim members 136 and 138 to securely lock the vault door 145 in place. Indeed, the locking plates are received in the groove between the rim members 136 and 137 and the secondary rim formed by the J-shaped rim member 141 and the short rim member 142.

In addition to the novel locking plates 146 and 147, the vault door 145 also has the conventional locking bars, such as locking bars 151-154. These locking bars are received through openings formed in the rim of the vault door and also in the smooth-faced rim of the vault. The locking bars and the locking plates are simultaneously operated by a single cam and actuator mechanism, including a cam bar 156 mounted to a circular cam plate 157 which carries studs, such as stud 158. The studs operate in grooves in the cam plate, as is well-known in the art, to move the locking bars in and out. They also move the locking plates in and out.

The low-profile lock cylinder assembly 160 is mounted in the left-hand side of the vault 145 for interaction with the cam bar 156. The lock cylinder assembly 160 operates to lock the cam bar 156 to prevent the cam bar from being rotated and thereby retracting the locking bars and locking plates. In this way, the lock cylinder assembly 160 cooperates to prevent the vault door 145 from being removed from the opening in the vault. The lock assembly 160 includes a lock mounting plate 161 and a lock bracket 162. The lock assembly 160 also includes a lock cam 163 for engaging a pivotable lock bolt 164. The lock bolt 164 meshes with the cam bar 156 to prevent rotation thereof.

It may be possible to substitute other plastics for the Lexant products chosen, although it may be necessary in that instance to carefully select the plastic and to carefully test the design to ensure that the resulting coin receptacle has the sufficient strength and resiliency to meet the criteria (including the important drop test). Some possible substitute materials might include polyethylene, polypropylene, or co-polymers.

While the invention has been disclosed in a preferred form, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many modifications, additions, and deletions may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.