AU761500B2 - Device for storing and issuing bank notes - Google Patents

Description

13.09.1999 02603-99 G/Jp/sk NSM Aktiengesellschaft D-55411 Bingen am Rhein Device for the storage and dispensing of banknotes The invention relates to a device for the storage and dispensing of banknotes, preferably with a validating means for the inserted banknotes connected ahead of the device.

Devices for the storage and dispensing of banknotes are known for instance in the form of ATMs operated by the Banks which, on the basis of credit or cheque cards having been inserted and a code number entered, dispense requested cash amounts within the available credit range. Such automatic cash handling apparatus is however very costly.

In gaming machines, for instance, there is the requirement, following a win based on a special winning combination, to pay out cash amounts up to DM 200.00 for instance, which at present is always handled by payment in coins. However, in order to avoid the payment of large numbers of coins, there exists the need to pay greater amounts from gaming machines in the form of banknotes, in particular if the gaming machines are equipped to accept banknotes for paying in the amount to be wagered. However for gaming machines only such devices for the dispensing of banknotes, which can be manufactured in a cost-effective manner, will be considered.

It is therefore the object of the invention to create a device of the type mentioned at the outset which distinguishes itself by a simple and therefore cost-effective construction whilst affording the requisite guarantee of cash dispensation.

In accordance with the invention this task is solved in a device of the type mentioned at the outset in that, within guide means of a housing, a compartment cassette with compartments of open ends which are adjacently located and separated from each other by partitions, which compartment cassette being in the form of one unit can be slideably moved to and fro by a controlled drive, that in front of a side defining the insertion side of the compartment cassette there is positioned the outlet of a transfer means or slide which feeds the flat banknotes, that for the storage of the banknotes in the transverse median plane of each of the inserted banknotes there is a pusher being operated in the housing which can be moved to and fro by a controlled drive, which pusher folds the banknotes in the middle and inserts same in a loop-like manner into a compartment of the compartment cassette having been moved into the median plane, and that for dispensing of a banknote the compartment storing the same is moved in front of a dispensing unit, into which a withdrawal means, for instance a controlled gripper or pusher, inserts the banknote stored in this compartment.

The device in accordance with the invention can be produced as a simple design and distinguishes itself essentially by the compartment cassette being slideably displaced within a housing, the compartments of which cassette accommodate the banknotes sorted according to denominations and stored in the form of looped folds. For their storage, the banknotes can be simply inserted into the compartments by a pusher. In a correspondingly simple manner, the dispensing is executed by a withdrawal means or a gripper, which withdraws the banknote requested to be withdrawn from its compartment having been moved into the dispensing position and then feeds it into the dispensing unit.

Advantageously, for the fastening of the pusher a carrier is provided. In this arrangement, the individual compartments of the cassette have a width of a magnitude such that the rocking lever does not become jammed in this pusher or carrier.

According to one preferred embodiment it is proposed that the dispensing unit consists of a pair of take-down rollers. In this arrangement, the dispensing chute or slot can be arranged directly downstream from the pair of take-down rollers. If however the dispensing chute is arranged at a greater distance from the pair of take-down rollers, the latter is followed by a conveying means, which for instance can be in the form of driven toothed belts, below which the banknotes folded in the middle are conveyed. The driven toothed belts are arranged parallel to each other across a metal sheet, so that the folded note is transported between the sheet and the two belts. By using the conveying means it is thus possible to position the dispensing chute at different positions of the respective housing depending on the respective application. In one arrangement, the dispensing and the feeding of the banknotes can take place via the same slot. It is further possible for a separate dispensing chute and a separate feed slot to be provided, wherein the dispensing of the banknotes is executed to a dispensing chute which is located below the feed slot. The dispensing of the banknotes can also be executed at a position distant from the feed slot, for instance a cash dispensing tray.

Advantageously, drives controlled by a microprocessor are provided for the compartment cassette, the pusher and the withdrawal means for the banknotes.

According to a further preferred embodiment, it is proposed that the device according to the invention for the storage and dispensing of banknotes can be coupled to a banknote validator which is known per se. The feed means for the banknotes in this arrangement is designed in such a way that the banknotes along their transfer path pass the respective banknote validator and are there checked for their validity.

One embodiment of the invention is described in detail below by reference to the drawing. Shown are in Fig. 1 Fig. 2 Fig. 3 Fig. 4 Fig. 5 Fig. 6 Fig. 7 Fig. 8 a cross section of the device for storage and dispensing of banknotes the position of the banknote following its passing of the banknote validator, the situation as per Fig. 2 with the pusher in stand-by position, the banknote in the wait position for the folding process, a partially folded banknote prior to its insertion into the compartment cassette, the compartment cassette with an inserted banknote, the'dispensing of a banknote from the compartment cassette, a device with a banknote feed and a banknote dispensing outlet positioned therebelow and a device with a banknote dispensing outlet at the cash dispensing tray. Fig. 9 Fig. 1 shows a cross section through the device for storage and dispensing of banknotes.

The device according to the invention has a banknote validator 1, as known for instance from DE 40 05 291 C2. The device for validating and storage of banknotes 1, which is known per se, and the compartment cassette 2 for storage and dispensing of banknotes in accordance with the invention as per the embodiment illustrated are accommodated in a joint housing.

The housing has an insertion slot 3 for the banknotes to be validated and stored, into which the banknotes are inserted individually in the direction of the arrow A. The banknotes are transferred along the path 4 indicated wherein they pass the banknote validator 1 along the transfer path C.

After passing the banknote validator 1, each respective banknote is pulled through the pair of take-down rollers 18 and conveyed along the transfer path D until the front end of the banknote reaches light barrier 19.

The device for storage of the banknote consists of a compartment cassette 2, which is run vertically on guide bars 5,6. The detent levers 7,8 ensure that the compartment cassette 2 is moved along the guide bars 5,6 in appropriate steps by a motor which is not shown in detail.

The compartment cassette 2 is equipped with swordlike pushers 10 in its compartments.

By means of the pusher the banknotes to be stored can be pushed into the compartments by way of being folded back onto themselves in a looped manner, after the respective compartment has been moved into the median plane of the banknote to be stored by means of the controlled drive. To move the pusher, a carrier 9 is provided which can be moved by the toothed belt drive 11. Via the carrier 9, each pusher can thus be run in horizontal direction along guide 12.

At the outlet of the compartment cassette there are pairs of take-down rollers 13, 14 by means of which the respective banknote can be withdrawn from the compartment cassette 2 and conveyed along the transfer path E to the banknote dispensing outlet.

Fig. 2 shows the position of a banknote after passage through the banknote validator.

In position 20, the banknote 21 is stopped; when the banknote reaches position 20 this is recognised by light barrier 19. Inasfar as the banknote is validated and released by the banknote validator, the banknote 20 is transferred on for storage in the compartment cassette. If it is not found to be genuine, the rejected banknote 21 is returned to the banknote feed and dispensed from there.

Fig. 3 shows the situation as per Fig. 2 with a pusher in standby position. As soon as a banknote 21 is released in position 20 as per Fig. 2, the carrier 9 with a pusher suspended therefrom is moved to the standby position 30 shown in Fig. 3. The banknote 21 is held in position 20 until the pusher has completely adopted the standby position Fig. 4 shows the banknote in the wait position for the folding process. From position as per Fig. 2 or Fig. 3 the banknote is moved by the belt drives 41, 42 into position In this position the banknote is approximately in the centre of the guide slot 12.

Fig. 5 shows a partially folded banknote prior to its insertion into the compartment cassette. The carrier 9 is moved along the displacement path B by the toothed belt 11 and presses the pusher against the banknote 21 clamped between the toothed belts 41 and 42. In the shown position 15, the banknote folded in the centre is just being inserted into a free compartment of the compartment cassette 2. The belt drive 41 can be swung away so that the banknote 21 rests in the slot without clamping pressure being applied to it.

Fig. 6 shows the compartment cassette with a banknote having been inserted. As can be seen more clearly in Fig. 6, the compartment cassette 2 is fully equipped with pushers in each compartment. The lowest pusher 10 here carries a folded banknote, after the banknote, from the position 50 as per Fig. 5, has been fully inserted into the compartment by carrier 9 and pusher 10. In the illustrated position 60 of carrier 9 it is now also possible for the compartment cassette to be driven up and down along guide bars 5,6 to select a further compartment for charging and discharging.

Q:OPERWCP59780c.doc-4 March, 2003 -6- Fig. 7 shows the dispensing of a banknote from the compartment cassette. By means of belt drive 11, carrier 9 together with the selected pusher is driven to the extreme right end position to the take-down roller pair 13. In this way the take-down rollers 13 can grip the note and pull it down from the pusher 10. Preferably, the pusher has a corresponding recess so that it is able to pass with its recessses on the right and on the left of the rollers, so that the note can be gripped without the pusher being positioned therebetween. The bank note is further folded by the take-down roller pair 13, 14 and pressed into the transfer Schannel following thereafter.

10 Fig. 8 shows the device according to the invention with superimposed banknote feed and banknote dispensing outlet. The banknote being dispensed is pressed into the transfer channel 80 and from there conveyed via a roller system 81 with toothed belt along the transfer path F up to the banknote dispensing outlet.

005 0 Fig. 9 shows the device according to the invention with a banknote dispensing outlet, which ends in the region of a cash dispensing tray 92. As per Fig. 8 the folded banknote is .00"0. pressed into the transfer channel 90 and via a roller system 91 transferred along the transfer path G to the banknote dispensing outlet, from where the banknote falls into the cash 00 00 e* 0 dispensing tray 92 and can be removed.

The reference to any prior art in this specification is not, and should not be taken as, an acknowledgment or any form of suggestion that that prior art forms part of the common general knowledge in Australia.

Claims (8)

1. Device for the storage and dispensing of banknotes, preferably with a validating means for the inserted banknotes connected ahead of the device, characterised in that within guide means of a housing, a compartment cassette with compartments of open ends which are adjacently located and separated from each other by partitions, which compartment cassette being in the form of one unit can be slideably moved *000 to and fro by a controlled drive, S 10 that in front of a side defining the insertion side of the compartment cassettes there is positioned the outlet of a transfer means or slide which feeds the flat banknotes, that for the storage of the banknotes in the transverse median plane of each of the o °inserted banknotes, there is a pusher being operated in the housing which can be moved to and fro by a controlled drive, which pusher folds the banknotes in the middle and inserts same in a loop-like manner into a compartment of the °ocompartment cassette having been moved into the median plane, and that for dispensing of a banknote the compartment storing the same is moved in front of a •00 dispensing unit, into which a withdrawal means, for instance a controlled gripper or pusher, inserts the banknote stored in this compartment. o2. Device according to Claim 1, characterised in that the gripper includes a displaceable forklike element, whose arms are provided with retractable pins which grip into the loops of the banknotes folded onto themselves in the region of the folded edge for the purpose of withdrawal.

3. Device according to Claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the dispensing unit includes a pair of take-down rollers.

4. Device according to Claim 3, characterised in that the take-down roller pair is followed by a conveying means, which includes driven toothed belts below which the banknotes folded in the middle are conveyed. Q:\OPERCPR597S0.dc-4 2003 *0 0 S* 0 00* 0 -8- Device according to one of Claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the dispensing and the feeding of the banknotes can be executed via the same slot.

6. Device according to one of Claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the dispensing of the banknotes is executed to a dispensing chute which is located below the feed slot.

7. Device according to one of Claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the dispensing of the banknotes is to a cash dispensing tray.

8. Device according to one of Claims 1 to 7, characterised in that drives controlled by a microprocessor are provided for the compartment cassette, the pusher and the dispensing unit.

9. Device according to one of Claims 1 to 8, characterised in that a banknote validator can be coupled into the device alongside the feed means for the banknotes.

10. Device for the storage and dispensing of banknotes substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. 0 00 ft" a a a} *1 DATED this 4th day of March 2003 NSM AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT AND WILHELM MENKE By its Patent Attorneys DAVIES COLLISON CAVE