Vendo 23 coin mech

[joesquid]

I have a Vendo 23 and was looking at the coin mech and discovered a latch had broken away from it's mount.  The small metal plate it was attached to snapped at a small, pre-formed bend in the metal.  I see where it's supposed to go and see how it latches to a cog-wheel but don't understand its purpose in life.  The mech appears to work fine without it so I'm trying to figure out what it's supposed to do.  I'm providing two pics, one with the piece in place, and one with it lying separately from the coin-mech.  If anyone has a manual on this type of coin mech I'd greatly appreciate a copy.  I'm an electrician by trade and understand tron flow, but anything that works without trons is a mystery to me.
Thanks!

[joesquid]

Here's the other pic.