Fee collection device

Claim 1

A fee collection device for the collection and storage of parking fees at a self-service parking lot and comprising a fully enclosed housing having an upper collection compartment and a lower storage compartment therein, the said housing also comprising a front face panel having an array of louvered deposit slots therein in communication with the collection compartment for receiving fee deposits therethrough, the said collection compartment comprising an array of inclined collection subcompartments in communication with the front face panel, one said collection subcompartment for each louvered deposit slot, fee inspection and discharge means slidably disposed within the collection compartment for permitting inspection of the collection subcompartments and discharge of the collected fees therefrom into the lower storage compartment after inspection thereof, said fee collection device including a removable inner housing for containing the upper collection compartment and the lower storage compartment therein, the said inner housing being removably secured to the inside of the fully enclosed housing, the said inner housing also being provided with at least one pair of aligned, forwardly extending slots, the forward end of each slot having a locking slot at right angles thereto and in communication therewith, said fee inspection and discharge means comprising a rectangular transparent inspection plate which is slidably disposed against the collection subcompartments and providing a back surface for the said subcompartments, and a horizontally disposed cover plate having the front edge thereof rigidly secured to the lower edge of the inspection plate and extending rearwardly from the said inspection plate at right angles thereto for providing a cover for the lower storage compartment, slide means operably connected between the housing and the fee inspection and discharge means for permitting the fee inspection and discharge means to be slidably moved rearwardly away from the collection subcompartments and inspection plate retaining means for securing the said inspection plate against the collection subcompartments when the said fee inspection and discharge means is in its forward position whereby upon visual inspection of the collection subcompartments for the fees deposited therein the inspection plate retainer means may be released and the fee inspection and discharge means slidably moved rearwardly thereby allowing the fees collected in the collection subcompartments to fall downwardly into the lower storage compartment, said inspection plate retaining means comprising at least one elongated bar having an outwardly and downwardly extending tongue member at each end thereof, the said tongue members of each bar being slidably disposed in one of the pairs of forwardly extending slots of the inner housing, the said elongated bar being curved with the outer ends of the bar extending rearwardly from the center portion thereof whereby when the fee inspection and discharge means is in its forward position, each of the said retaining bars may be slidably moved against the back of the inspection plate, the outer ends of each retaining bar being responsive to forwardly directed pressure to allow the tongue members thereof to move forwardly within the forwardly extending slots and into the locking slots thereby locking the said inspection plate into its forward position and causing a spring-like pressure to be exerted on the said inspection plate by the entire length of the elongated bar.