WO1993025979A1

WO1993025979A1 - Ticket processing terminal

Info

Publication number: WO1993025979A1
Application number: PCT/AU1993/000290
Authority: WO
Inventors: Maurice John Pinfield
Original assignee: Awa Limited
Priority date: 1992-06-18
Filing date: 1993-06-17
Publication date: 1993-12-23

Abstract

The ticket processing apparatus for reading, printing and issuing tickets, betting cards, coupons and the like. The apparatus (1) comprises an indexing assembly (4) adapted to receive tickets (7) on a ticket processing path, and storage means (5) adapted to accommodate and store protruding end portions of the ticket off-line from the processing path such that the index assembly (4) can receive tickets of varying and substantially indefinite length. The indexing assembly is operable successively to sequentially transfer the tickets on to a print station (6). The apparatus is also adapted to optionally position successive tickets in overlapping relationship with a selected portion of each ticket exposed to the printing station (6), thereby enabling printing on successive tickets to continue substantially uninterrupted.

Description

Title: TICKET PROCESSING TERMINAL

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to terminals for processing, printing and issuing tickets, betting cards, coupons and the like.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Various ticket processing devices are known, and typically incorporate a series of processing stations through which the tickets are progressively moved. The principal process steps generally include the reading of coded information from, and the printing of information on, one or more faces of the ticket.

In a number of known systems, the tickets are moved through a series of process stations spaced apart along a generally linear path. Consequently, such machines tend to be excessively large. In other systems, the tickets are moved around one or more cylindrical drums or rollers. These systems tend to be more compact as a result of the curved ticket path, but are often more mechanically complex.

In either case, there are several "pauses" during the processing at what are commonly referred to as "wait stations", which are inherent in such systems. These are provided for holding the ticket until processing by a host computer is completed and a print command signal is generated. At each wait station, no actual work is being done on the ticket, which results in lost time. Another reason why wait stations are needed and further time is lost is because of the requirement for each entire ticket length to pass under the print head before the following ticket can be printed. In this regard, it should be noted that many tickets require little print in relation to the overall ticket length, especially when the ticket is very long. The resultant lost time represents a significant inefficiency in the system and ultimately limits the rate at which tickets can be processed through the terminal.

Another related disadvantage of the prior art systems is that they are unable to process tickets of substantially different lengths, and can only accommodate tickets up to a predetermined maximum length. Furthermore, if the prior art systems are modified to process longer tickets, this will generally result in a corresponding increase in the overall size of the device .

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved processing apparatus which ameliorates at least one of these deficiencies of the prior art.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a ticket processing apparatus comprising, an indexing assembly adapted to receive tickets on a ticket processing path, and storage means adapted to accommodate and store protruding free end portions of said tickets off-line from said processing path such that said indexing assembly can receive tickets of varying and substantially indefinite length, said indexing assembly being operable successively to transfer the tickets to a print station.

The phrase 'substantially indefinite length' is used herein to infer that a system according to the invention is capable of handling unusually long tickets, ultimately depending of course upon the particular size and configuration of the storage means employed.

Preferably, the indexing assembly operates to reverse the ticket travel direction along the processing path.

In a first embodiment the indexing assembly comprises a substantially hollow rotatable drum adapted sequentially to receive, hold and rotatably index said tickets and said storage means is defined by a generally cylindrical inner surface of said drum configured to scroll the protruding free end of each ticket.

It is further preferred that the drum includes a series of at least two axially extending circumferentially spaced slots respectively adapted to direct the free end portion of each ticket to the interior of the drum, the slots thereby permitting the indexing assembly and storage means to accommodate at least two tickets simultaneously.

Desirably, each of the slots is defined by a respective jaw assembly movable between an open position permitting tickets to pass freely into and out of the drum and a closed position wherein the ticket is positively gripped during indexing of the drum.

More preferably, each jaw assembly is defined by at least two axially extending generally arcuate overlapping segments, at least one of the segments being pivotably mounted along one longitudinal edge and having an opposite edge resiliently biased into gripping engagement with the corresponding overlapping segment.

It is further preferred that the apparatus includes a cam arrangement associated with each jaw assembly and operable in response to rotation of the drum to move the jaw assembly from the closed position to the open position against the resilient bias force, thereby to release the corresponding ticket upon completion of the indexing cycle.

Desirably, the indexing assembly includes drive means to effect rotation of the drum through a predetermined angle in response to an indexing signal, thereby sequentially to feed the respective tickets to the print station.

In a second embodiment, the indexing assembly comprises instead two interconnected pairs of rollers, any one pair being adapted to receive and rotatably index a first ticket and subsequently release and transfer that ticket to the print station while the other pair simultaneously or subsequently receives a second ticket. In this embodiment, the storage means preferably comprises a curved guide surface adapted to scroll the protruding free end portion of each ticket.

Desirably, the two pairs of rollers are each adapted to grip a trailing end portion of a ticket and transfer that trailing end portion via a translational movement to the print station, thereby effectively reversing the direction of ticket travel.

It is further preferred that the translational movement of the interconnected pairs of rollers is effected by rotatably connecting one of each of said pairs to a planetary gear arrangement and the other of each of said pairs to a guide arm arrangement thereby to simultaneously translate and orientate said pairs of rollers between a ticket receiving position and a ticket transfer position.

Desirably, the two interconnected pairs of rollers are reversibly operable to feed each ticket into and subsequently out of the storage means, and thence on to the print station.

Desirably also, drive means are operable on the two interconnected pairs of rollers to effect a predetermined translational movement of the tickets in response to an indexing signal, thereby to feed the respective tickets to the print station.

In both embodiments, the indexing assembly is preferably adapted to position successive tickets in overlapping relationship with a selected portion of each ticket exposed to the printing station, thereby enabling printing on successive tickets to continue substantially uninterrupted.

In preferred embodiments, the apparatus includes code reading means adapted to read coded information on the tickets and generate a communication signal corresponding to said information for transmission to a host computer.

Preferably, the apparatus further includes an external input hopper to contain a stack of pre-marked tickets, an internal input hopper to contain a stack of unmarked tickets for applications where ticketing information is entered electronically via a keyboard, and an output hopper to contain processed tickets from either hopper. This form of the invention is particularly well adapted for betting applications.

Preferably also, the apparatus includes first transport means comprising an extraction mechanism adapted to remove one ticket at a time from the appropriate input stack, and a series of guide rollers and/or conveyor belts to transport the tickets past the code reading means to the indexing assembly.

Desirably, the apparatus further includes second transport means to transfer the tickets in appropriate relative relationship from the indexing assembly to the printing station.

Preferably also, the indexing assembly is moved in response to an indexing control signal at approximately the same time as communication of the signal from the code reader to the host computer commences, whereupon the ticket is transported to a standby position adjacent the printing station to enable printing to commence immediately upon receipt of the corresponding print command signal from the host computer.

The apparatus preferably also includes means to control the indexing assembly automatically so as to accommodate variations in ticket length by sensing and gripping a trailing end portion of each ticket.

The code reading means preferably includes a bar code reader to detect bar codes on the reverse sides of the tickets, and a CCD reader to detect any customer markings on the front of each ticket.

The apparatus preferably also includes a second code reader disposed downstream of the print station to provide verification with the computer that the printed information on the ticket is accurate.

According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a method of processing tickets comprising the steps of: transporting tickets to an indexing assembly; holding an end portion of each said ticket with the indexing assembly on a ticket processing path; storing a protruding opposite end portion of each ticket off-line from the processing path in storage means; and operating said indexing assembly to successively transfer the tickets to a print station.

Preferably, the method includes the further steps of: reading coded information on the tickets; generating and sending a communication signal corresponding to said coded information to a host computer,- indexing the tickets in response to said communication signal; and printing information on each ticket in response to a print command signal from the computer. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:-

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment ticket processing apparatus according to the invention;

Figure 2 is a cut-away view of the apparatus of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a diagrammatic cross-sectional side elevation of the apparatus of Figures 1 and 2 showing the principal ticket processing stations in schematic form;

Figure 4 shows the configuration of the indexing drum upon receipt of a first ticket;

Figure 5 shows the drum of Figure 4 indexed through 120° having received a second ticket;

Figure 6 shows the indexing drum in the same orientation as in Figure 5 but with the first ticket positioned adjacent the printing head;

Figure 7 shows the drum indexed through a further 120°, having accepted a third ticket; and

Figure 8 shows the indexing drum moved through a further 120° having accepted a fourth ticket, the first three tickets being disposed in overlapping relationship adjacent the print station;

Figure 9 is a schematic side elevation of a second embodiment of a ticket processing apparatus according to the invention;

Figure 10 is a schematic side elevation of an alternative indexing assembly for a third embodiment of the ticket processing apparatus according to the invention;

Figure 11 is an enlarged perspective view of the roller and planetary gear assembly of the indexing assembly shown in Figure 10; and

Figure 12 is a schematic side view of the planetary gear assembly of Figure 11 together with the associated guide rod assemblies.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

Referring to the first embodiment as shown in Figures 1 to 3, wherein corresponding features are denoted by corresponding reference numerals, the invention provides a ticket processing apparatus 1 comprising a housing 2 and first transport means 3 adapted to transfer tickets to an indexing assembly 4. The apparatus also includes storage means 5 and a printing station 6 adapted to print information on each ticket 7. Also forming part of the apparatus is a bar code reader 10 to detect bar codes on the reverse sides of the tickets, and a CCD reader 11 to detect customer markings on the front of the tickets where appropriate. The code readers 10 and 11 generate communication signals corresponding to the coded information for transmission to a host computer (not shown) . A third code reader 12 is disposed downstream of the print station 5 to provide verification with the computer that the printed information on the ticket is accurate.

As best seen in Figure 3, the apparatus further includes an external input hopper 15 to contain a stack of pre-marked tickets, an internal input hopper 16 to contain a stack of unmarked tickets for applications where ticketing information is entered electronically via a keyboard 17, and a series of output hoppers 18 to contain the processed tickets.

The indexing assembly 4 includes a substantially hollow rotatable drum 20, the generally cylindrical inner surface of which defines the storage means 5. The drum 20 includes a series of three axially extending circumferentially spaced slots 21. Each slot is adapted to receive and direct' a free end portion of a respective ticket delivered by the first transport mechanism 3 to the interior of the drum 20.

Each slot 21 is defined by a jaw assembly made up of two generally arcuate overlapping drum segments 22. Each segment is pivotably mounted along a respective longitudinal edge 23 and includes biasing means in the form of a torsion spring 24. The spring has a spring arm 25 which rests against a stop 26 to urge the free edge 27 of each segment against an inner surface 28 of the pivotably supported edge of an adjacent segment. Each segment 22 also includes a cam arrangement in the form of one or more protruding captive rollers 29 disposed to act against fixed surfaces 30 and 31 to selectively urge the free end 27 of each segment inwardly against the biasing spring 24 to open the jaw assembly and thereby alternately to receive and release the tickets.

Drive means (not shown) are operable on the drum 20 to effect rotation through a predetermined angle in response to an indexing signal. A second transport mechanism 35 comprising a series of guide rollers 36 and belts 37 is disposed intermediate the indexing drum and the print station to position the indexed tickets for printing as described in more detail below.

Turning now to describe briefly the operation of the terminal with reference to Figures 4 to 8, tickets are first extracted one by one from the appropriate input hopper 15 or 16 by the first transport mechanism 3 and conveyed by a series of guide rollers 36 and belts 37 past the code readers 10 and 11. The code readers generate communication signals corresponding to any information on the ticket and the signals are transmitted to the host computer for processing. As best seen in Figure 4, the leading edge 33 of the ticket is then moved by the first transport mechanism through the appropriately aligned slot 21 in the indexing drum 20 which has been opened by roller 29 acting on surface 30 in response to the previous rotation of the drum. The leading portion of the ticket is thereby scrolled progressively within the off-line storage means 5 such that the trailing portion of the ticket protrudes generally tangentially from the drum. In this manner, tickets of significantly varying lengths can be accommodated by the system, as the excess length is simply scrolled within the drum. The drum is then indexed through 120° (in a clockwise direction when viewing the drawings) , the jaw closing again under action of spring 24, to deliver the protruding portion of the ticket to the second transport mechanism 35. What was formerly the trailing edge of the ticket is now the leading edge, since the direction of ticket travel has effectively been reversed. The next vacant slot 21 in the indexing drum is thereby presented and opened to receive the following ticket which is extracted and moved past the code readers d r ng the indexing stage.

In the preferred embodiment, the indexer is actuated by an appropriate command signal at approximately the same instant as communication from the code readers to the host computer commences in respect of each succeeding ticket. If the communication from the code readers in respect of the first ticket is complete, the second communication corresponding to the second ticket is sent immediately. Otherwise, the information is held in memory until the communication line is clear.

As best seen in Figure 6, the first ticket is released from the storage means and jaw assembly by the action of roller 29 in cam surface 31, and then withdrawn from the indexing drum by the rollers and belts of the second transport mechanism 35. The ticket is then accurately positioned adjacent the print head, thereby enabling printing to commence immediately upon receipt of an appropriate print command signal from the computer.

During the printing of the first ticket, the second ticket is indexed and optionally transported by the second transport mechanism to an overlapping position enabling printing to continue, provided the appropriate print command signal is received in sufficient time from the host computer. As shown in Figures 7 and 8, upon indexing of the second ticket, a further ticket is extracted, read and delivered to the indexing drum. The process then continues with the fourth and subsequent tickets until no tickets remain in the input hoppers.

A major advantage with this system is that the off-line storage means 5 is adapted by means of the ticket scrolling ability, to accept successive tickets of different and substantially varying lengths. The ticket is fed into the inside of the drum and starts to curl in a scrolling manner against the inside surface. This continues until the trailing edge of the ticket has cleared a particular sensor (not shown) so that the indexing operation can commence. At that stage a second ticket can be fed into the drum.

It should also be appreciated that the ability of the indexing mechanism to receive and position successive tickets in overlapping relationship with selected portions of each ticket exposed to the printing station enables printing on successive tickets to continue substantially uninterrupted. This increases the throughput in the machine and thereby represents a commercially significant improvement over the prior art.

Turning next to Figure 9, there is illustrated a second embodiment ticket processing apparatus according to the invention. Where possible, corresponding reference numerals have been used to denote corresponding features.

This second embodiment is very similar to the first embodiment and incorporates only minor design changes. The position of the CCD reader unit and print head has been altered, and in this embodiment there is no internal input hopper 16. Minor modifications have also been made to the design of the drum 20 to provide more support to jaw assemblies and in particular the pivotably mounted edge 23 of each drum segment 22. Thus, in this embodiment, each moving jaw element operates in conjunction with a fixed segment, rather than against the adjacent edge of another pivoted segment, as in the previous embodiment, so that the jaws can operate entirely independently of one another.

Finally, Figures 10 to 12 show an alternative indexing assembly for a third embodiment ticket processing apparatus according to the invention.

Turning firstly to the schematic elevation of Figure 10 there is shown an indexing assembly 4 comprising a geared roller assembly 50 and storage spinner 51 which in combination serve to replace the drum 20 of the first and second embodiments.

The indexing assembly 4 comprises first and second interconnected pairs of rollers 52 and 53, each pair of rollers being adapted to receive, grip and rotatably index a ticket for subsequent release and transfer to the print station 6.

One roller 54 from each pair of rollers 52 and 53 is rotatably connected to a planetary gear arrangement shown generally at 55 in which the rollers are offset 180°. The other roller from each pair of rollers 53 is connected to a respective guide arm 57 or 58.

The guide arms are pivotably and slidably connected at a location 59 as best shown in Figure 12 and the planetary gear assembly 55 is externally driven by a motor drive 60.

In use, the planetary gear and guide arm assemblies serve to index and simultaneously orientate each respective pair of rollers, from a first position shown generally at 61 adapted to receive a ticket from the ticket in-feed or picking station 62, to a second position 63 wherein the ticket is orientated for presentation to the print station 6. Figure 10 shows the locus of each pair of rollers and illustrates the path of two successive tickets through the indexing system 4.

In operation, a first ticket is fed from the picking station 62 through feed rollers to the first pair of rollers 53. The ticket is fed through the rollers and into the storage spinner 51 until the trailing edge of the ticket 7 is sensed at a predetermined location, at which point the rollers stop and thereby grip the trailing end portion of the ticket.

The motor drive 60 is then actuated and the rollers indexed until the free end of the ticket is translated and orientated for presentation to the print station 6. During this indexing process the other roller pair will have returned to the in-feed position ready to accept a further ticket from the picking station 62.

As shown in Figure 10, the subsequent ticket can be fed into the storage spinner 51 behind the first ticket. Again, the ticket is fed until the trailing edge of the ticket is sensed by any suitable means at which point the rollers stop to grip the ticket. Once the first ticket has been fed to the print station, the planetary gear assembly can be indexed once more and the process repeated.

It will be appreciated from the drawings that, as with the first and second embodiments, the system is able automatically to accommodate relatively long tickets and tickets of varying length, since the excess portion of each ticket is stored in scrolled fashion off-line within the spinner 51. The system is also capable of handling variations in ticket card thickness and rigidity with little difficulty.

Whilst a variety of different ticket picking assemblies can be used, a contra-rotating roller mechanism is preferred as shown in Figure 10, which also includes a solenoid 65 to urge the foremost ticket into driving engagement with the forward rotating roller 66.

Although the invention has been described with reference to specific examples, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the invention may be embodied in many other forms.

Claims

CLAIMS : -

1. A ticket processing apparatus comprising, an indexing assembly adapted to receive tickets on a ticket processing path, and storage means adapted to accommodate and store protruding free end portions of said tickets off-line from said processing path such that said indexing assembly can receive tickets of varying and substantially indefinite length, said indexing assembly being operable successively to transfer the tickets to a print station.

2. A ticket processing apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the indexing assembly operates to reverse the ticket travel direction along the processing path.

3. A ticket processing apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the indexing assembly comprises a substantially hollow rotatable drum adapted sequentially to receive, hold and rotatably index said tickets and wherein said storage means is defined by a generally cylindrical inner surface of said drum configured to scroll the protruding free end portion of each ticket.

4. A ticket processing apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the drum includes a series of at least two axially extending circumferentially spaced slots respectively adapted to direct the free end portion of each ticket to the interior of the drum, said slots permitting the indexing assembly and storage means to accommodate at least two tickets simultaneously.

5. A ticket processing apparatus according to claim 4 wherein each of the slots is defined by a respective jaw assembly movable between an open position permitting tickets to pass freely into and out of the drum and a closed position wherein the ticket is positively gripped during indexing of the drum.

6. A ticket processing apparatus according to claim 5 wherein each said jaw assembly is defined by at least two axially extending generally arcuate overlapping segments, at least one of said segments being pivotably mounted along one longitudinal edge and having an opposite edge resiliently biased into gripping engagement with the corresponding overlapping segment.

7. A ticket processing apparatus according to claim 6 further including a cam arrangement associated with each jaw assembly and operable in response to rotation of the drum to move the jaw assembly from the closed to the open position against said bias force, thereby to release the corresponding ticket upon completion of the indexing cycle.

8. A ticket processing apparatus according to any one of claims 3 to 7 wherein the indexing assembly includes drive means to effect rotation of the drum through a predetermined angle in response to an indexing signal, thereby to feed the respective tickets to the print station.

9. A ticket processing apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the indexing assembly comprises two interconnected pairs of rollers adapted to receive and rotatably index a first ticket and subsequently release and transfer that ticket whilst simultaneously or subsequently receiving a second ticket, and wherein said storage means comprises a curved guide surface adapted to scroll the protruding free end portion of each ticket.

10. A ticket processing apparatus according to claim 9 wherein each pair of rollers is adapted to grip a trailing end portion of a ticket and transfer that trailing end portion via a translational movement to the print station.

11. A ticket processing apparatus according to claim 10 wherein one roller from each pair is connected to a planetary gear arrangement and the other roller from each said pair is connected to a guide arm arrangement to simultaneously translate and orientate said pairs of rollers between a ticket receiving position and a ticket transfer position during the indexing cycle.

12. A ticket processing apparatus according to any one of claims 9 to 11 wherein said interconnected pairs of rollers are reversibly operable to feed each ticket into and subsequently out of the storage means and thence on to the print station.

13. A ticket processing apparatus according to any one of claims 9 to 12 further including drive means operable on the interconnected pairs of rollers to effect a predetermined translational movement of the tickets in response to an indexing signal, thereby to feed the respective tickets to the print station.

14. A ticket processing apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the indexing assembly is adapted to position successive tickets in overlapping relationship with a selected portion of each ticket exposed to the printing station, thereby enabling printing on successive tickets to continue substantially uninterrupted.

15. A ticket processing apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the apparatus includes code reading means adapted to read coded information on the tickets and generate a communication signal corresponding to said information for transmission to a host computer.

16. A ticket processing apparatus according to claim 15 wherein the code reading means includes a bar code reader to detect bar codes on the tickets.

17. A ticket processing apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims further including first transport means for transporting tickets to the indexing assembly.

18. A ticket processing apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims further including an external hopper to contain a stack of pre-marked tickets.

19. A ticket processing apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims further including an internal hopper to contain a stack of unmarked tickets for applications where ticketing information is entered electronically via a keyboard.

20. A ticket processing apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims further including an output hopper to contain processed tickets.

21. A ticket processing apparatus according to any one of claims 17 to 20 wherein the first transport means includes an extraction mechanism adapted to remove one ticket at a time from the appropriate input stack.

22. A ticket processing apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims further including a CCD reader to detect customer markings on the tickets.

23. A ticket processing apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims further including second transport means to transfer the tickets in appropriate relative relationship from the indexing assembly to the print station.

24. A ticket processing apparatus according to any one of claims 15 to 23 wherein the indexing assembly is moved in response to an indexing control signal at approximately the same time as communication of the signal from the code reader to the host computer commences, whereupon the ticket is transported to a standby position adjacent the print station thereby enabling printing to commence immediately upon receipt of the corresponding print command signal from the host computer.

25. A ticket processing apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the indexing assembly is controlled such that during printing of each ticket, the following ticket is indexed and subsequently transported to an overlapping standby position for printing to continue substantially uninterrupted provided the subsequent print command signal is received in sufficient time.

26. A ticket processing apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the apparatus also includes means to control the indexing assembly automatically so as to accommodate variations in ticket length by sensing and gripping a trailing end portion of each ticket.

27. A ticket processing apparatus according to any one of claims 15 to 26 further including a second code reader disposed downstream of the print station to provide verification with the computer that the printed information on the ticket is accurate.

28. A method of processing tickets, comprising the steps of: successively transporting tickets to an indexing assembly; holding an end portion of each said ticket on a ticket processing path; storing a protruding opposite end portion of each ticket off-line from the processing path in a storage means; and operating said indexing assembly to successively transfer the tickets to a print station.

29. A method of processing tickets according to claim 28 further including the step of operating the indexing assembly to effectively reverse the ticket travel direction along the processing path.

30. A method of processing tickets according to claim 28 or claim 29 including the further steps of: reading any coded information on the ticket; generating and sending a communication signal corresponding to said coded information to a host computer; indexing the tickets in response to said communication signal; and printing information on each ticket in response to a print command signal from the computer.

31. A ticket processing apparatus substantially as hereindescribed with reference to Figures 1 to 8, Figure 9 or Figures 10 to 12 of the accompanying drawings.

32. A method of processing tickets substantially as hereindescribed with reference to Figures 1 to 8, Figure 9 or Figures 10 to 12 of the accompanying drawings.