EP0473471A1 - Marking device for valuable documents and containers for banknote dispensing machine equipped with such a device - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a marking device for valuable documents, such as banknotes. <??>This device comprises means capable of delivering a marking or discolouring liquid to the banknotes (B) contained in an enclosed space (C) under the effect of a break-in and is characterised in that it comprises at least one spongy element (3) which is arranged in the immediate vicinity of the edges of the banknotes (B) stacked in the enclosed space and with which is associated a reservoir of marking liquid which, in the event of a break-in, impregnates the spongy element (3) coming into contact with the edges of the banknotes (B), so as to allow the marking liquid to migrate onto and between the edges of these banknotes stored in the enclosed space (C). <??>The device is used particularly in cassettes for an automatic banknote dispensing machine. <IMAGE>

Description

The present invention essentially relates to a device for smudging valuable documents such as banknotes.

It also relates to cassettes for an automatic banknote dispenser equipped with this device.

Resistance to the burglary of automatic cash dispensers on the public highway for example currently poses big problems.

Indeed, today, not only do burglars attack the device in an attempt to extract the cassettes of banknotes they contain, but they are increasingly using large construction machines to dissociate by "water hammer" "the entire device from the wall in which it is fixed, so that after having removed the device, they can easily later and in a discreet place, fracture the device to remove the cassettes and the money .

Various solutions can be envisaged to remedy this situation which has become intolerable, and consisting, after detection of a break-in, in rendering the stolen bank notes unusable by the criminals without destroying them completely, so that they can be reimbursed by the Banque de France.

But all the solutions proposed until now for safes, cases for transporting funds or similar enclosures are dangerous or cannot be suitable for bank cash dispensers which are relatively sophisticated devices.

Thus, the currently known pyrotechnic solutions can be dangerous for people brought into contact with the system directly or not, and can also destroy the environment of the system.

As for mechanical solutions aimed at mechanically and partially destroying banknotes, for example by perforation, they generally consist of complex systems which require a lot of energy, and which, if there is an untimely triggering during handling, can be be dangerous for the operator. In addition, they present a risk of system congestion, which is particularly troublesome in the case in particular of automatic teller machines which, in themselves, are relatively complicated systems comprising sophisticated electronics.

Finally, there are chemical solutions which generally consist in using dyes released in the form of fumigants and smearing banknotes. However, these products risk damaging the environment and in particular the electronics in the case of an ATM, and also have the disadvantage of only marking the tickets on the edge, that is to say very locally.

Also, the object of the present invention is to remedy the above drawbacks by proposing a device for smearing or discoloration of banknotes which is particularly reliable, does not risk damaging the environment of the device which uses it, is not likely to be dangerous when handling the device, and provides significant marking on all tickets in the event of a break-in, regardless of the position of the system during or after the break-in.

To this end, the subject of the invention is a device for smearing valuable documents, such as banknotes, stored in an enclosure, and of the type comprising means capable of delivering a smearing or bleaching liquid to the documents contained in the enclosure under the effect of a break-in, characterized in that said means consist of at least one spongy element which is arranged in the immediate vicinity of the edges of the documents stored and stacked in the enclosure, and with which is associated at least one reservoir of smearing liquid which, in the event of break-in, soaks the spongy element coming into contact with the edges or edges of the documents to allow the migration of the smearing liquid on and between the edges of the edges of the documents stored and stacked in the enclosure.

According to another characteristic of this device, the above-mentioned reservoir is incorporated in the spongy element interposed between the edges or edges of the documents and a sealed wall, such as for example a wall or a cover of the enclosure, and takes the form of '' one or more frangible bags, ampoules, pipes or the like.

The above-mentioned reservoir is associated with at least one resistant heating wire, or a pyrotechnic means or else a mechanical means causing the perforation of the reservoir under the effect of a break-in.

It will be specified here that the aforementioned reservoir incorporated in the spongy element can be sandwiched between two metal plates, one of which carries spikes or the like capable of perforating said reservoir.

According to another embodiment, the above-mentioned reservoir is outside the sponge element which contains at least one pocket or preferably frangible tubes connected to this reservoir.

In this case, the smearing liquid contained in the reservoir is injected into the pocket or the tubes in the event of break-in by a pressurized gas or by a piston mounted sliding in the reservoir.

It will be observed that, according to the invention, the aforementioned reservoir can be housed inside an enclosure or else located outside this enclosure.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the aforementioned enclosure is a cassette for distributing automatic banknote reader.

Thus, all the cassettes of an ATM can be equipped with a device according to the invention, so that in case of removal of the ATM, the banknotes contained in these cassettes will be unusable by criminals since strongly soaked with smearing and indelible liquid.

• La figure 1 est une vue schématique et en perspective d'une cassette pour distributeur de billets de banque.
• La figure 2 est une vue en coupe suivant la ligne II-II de la figure 1.
• La figure 3 est une vue identique à la figure 2, mais montrant le contenu de la cassette après effraction.
• La figure 4 est une vue en coupe d'un élément spongieux avec réservoir incorporé.
• Les figures 5 à 7 illustrent respectivement en perspective trois variantes de réservoir incorporé à l'élément spongieux.
• La figure 8 est une vue en perspective d'un élément spongieux avec réservoir incorporé auquel est associé un fil résistant chauffant.
• La figure 9 est une vue similaire à la figure 8 mais montrant un système pyrotechnique associé au réservoir.
• La figure 10 est une vue partielle schématique et en coupe d'un élément spongieux avec réservoir qui peut être perforé par un système mécanique.
• La figure 11 est une vue identique à la figure 10, mais montrant le système mécanique en fonctionnement après effraction.
• La figure 12 est une vue schématique et en perspective d'une cassette pour distributeur de billets et contenant un réservoir extérieur à l'élément spongieux.
• La figure 13 est une vue en perspective et agrandie de la partie XIII de la figure 12.
• La figure 14 est une vue de face et en perspective d'un distributeur automatique de billets de banque.
• La figure 15 est une vue en perspective d'un empilement de cassettes pouvant être reçues dans ce distributeur et auxquelles est associé un réservoir de liquide maculant extérieur auxdites cassettes.

However, other advantages and characteristics of the invention will appear better in the detailed description which follows and refers to the appended drawings, given solely by way of example, and in which.

• Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of a cassette for a banknote dispenser.
• Figure 2 is a sectional view along line II-II of Figure 1.
• Figure 3 is a view identical to Figure 2, but showing the contents of the cassette after break-in.
• Figure 4 is a sectional view of a sponge element with incorporated reservoir.
• Figures 5 to 7 illustrate respectively in perspective three variants of the tank incorporated into the sponge element.
• FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a spongy element with incorporated reservoir with which is associated a resistant heating wire.
• Figure 9 is a view similar to Figure 8 but showing a pyrotechnic system associated with the tank.
• Figure 10 is a partial schematic sectional view of a sponge element with reservoir which can be perforated by a mechanical system.
• Figure 11 is a view identical to Figure 10, but showing the mechanical system in operation after break-in.
• Figure 12 is a schematic perspective view of a cash dispenser cassette and containing a reservoir external to the sponge element.
• Figure 13 is an enlarged perspective view of part XIII of Figure 12.
• Figure 14 is a front and perspective view of an automatic cash dispenser.
• FIG. 15 is a perspective view of a stack of cassettes which can be received in this dispenser and which is associated with a reservoir of smearing liquid outside said cassettes.

Referring to Figures 1 to 3 illustrating the principle of the invention, there is shown a cassette C for automatic banknote dispenser, this cassette comprising a cover 1 articulated by a hinge 2 and containing a multiplicity of stacked banknotes B vertically.

The invention could perfectly apply to a banknote container other than a cassette, and such as for example a safe or a case for transporting funds.

According to the invention, a spongy element 3 made of any suitable material and capable of ensuring the retention of a smearing liquid, is interposed between the cover 1 and the plane formed by the upper edges of the banknotes B. Thus, the cancellous element 3 receiving the smearing liquid delivered, in the event of break-in, by a reservoir which will be described below, will soak the cancellous element 3 which will swell and, as can be seen in FIG. 3, will be able to soak the slice of banknotes B, and this while migrating by capillarity between the banknotes to ensure a significant marking of these which will consequently be unusable by the criminals.

As can be seen in FIG. 4, in the spongy element 3, there is incorporated a reservoir R of staining liquid which is any suitable composition and which may contain in particular a solvent, a dye and possibly a fixer, it being understood that this liquid will be capable of acting very quickly by capillarity in order to soak the B tickets. It is perfectly possible and without departing from the scope of the invention to use a bleaching liquid composition and therefore capable of altering or at least partially removing the colors of the tickets.

According to the embodiment visible in FIG. 5, the reservoir R takes the form of a relatively flexible pocket comprising thinner and more fragile parts 4 capable of breaking under the effect of a break-in by a means which will be described below and this in order to deliver smearing liquid to the spongy material of element 3.

According to the variant visible in FIG. 6, the reservoir R incorporated in the spongy element 3 has the form of a coil comprising, over its entire length preferably, small fragile zones 5 allowing the delivery of the liquid product smearing to the spongy element 3 under the effect of pressure for example.

In the embodiment of FIG. 7, the reservoir incorporated into the spongy element 3 is here constituted by breakable bulbs 6 during break-in by an appropriate means.

In the case where the reservoir R consists of one or more flexible bags, for example of a synthetic or plastic material, which may have any shape, it is possible, as seen in FIG. 8, to use a resistant heating wire 7 which will be supplied with current during a break-in to, by thermal effect, melt the wall of said tank.

It is also possible, as seen in FIG. 9, to associate with the incorporated tank R in the spongy element 3, a cord 8 connected to small point charges 9 capable of locally bursting the wall of the reservoir R.

As can be seen in FIGS. 10 and 11, the reservoir R incorporated in the sponge element 3 can be sandwiched between two metal plates 10, 11 one of which carries spikes 12 capable of perforating said reservoir, and of which the other 11 has small orifices 13 capable of receiving the tips 12. A means has been shown schematically at 14, such as a rod allowing the relative sliding of the two plates 10, 11. We see at 15 in FIGS. 10 and 11 of the holes passing through the plate 10 and capable of delivering smearing product to the spongy element 3 after perforation of the reservoir R under the effect of a break-in causing the plates 10 and 11 to come together, as is clearly visible in the figure 11, it being understood, although this is not shown in this figure, that the smearing product moistening the spongy element 3 will soak the banknotes, as shown in FIG. 3.

According to the variant illustrated in FIGS. 12 and 13, the reservoir R is outside the sponge element 3 which contains, for example, tubes 16 connected to this reservoir. In the event of a break-in, the smearing liquid contained in the reservoir R will be injected into the tubes 16 by a pressurized gas or else by a piston shown diagrammatically at 17 and sliding in the reservoir R. As described above, the smearing liquid injected into the tubes 16 will cause these tubes to burst locally, so that the smearing liquid will be delivered to the spongy element 3.

As can be seen in FIGS. 14 and 15, and according to another embodiment, the reservoir R which, in the previous cases, was housed inside the cassettes C, is here located outside of said cassettes and is connected to these by flexible pipes 18 for example. Thus, a single reservoir R, comprising for example a sliding internal piston 17 could supply, under the effect of a break-in, several cassettes contained in an automatic cash dispenser D of banknotes B.

According to the example shown in FIG. 15, the cassettes C each contain a spongy element 3 interposed between the sealed wall formed by the cover 1 of the cassettes, and the edges of the attached banknotes, said spongy element comprising for example a tube 19 in the form of a coil and connected by flexible pipes 18 to the reservoir R.

A device has therefore been produced according to the invention for smearing banknotes which remains clean and harmless, cannot be dangerous under the effect of handling the cassettes, and allows effective impregnation of the banknotes which are consequently unusable by the malfai-

Claims (12)

without being dependent on the position of the cassettes and therefore on gravity. Of course, the invention is in no way limited to the embodiments described and illustrated which have been given only by way of example. On the contrary, the invention includes all the technical equivalents of the means described and their combinations if these are carried out according to the spirit. 1. Device for smudging valuable documents, such as banknotes (B), stored in an enclosure (C) and of the type comprising means capable of delivering a staining or bleaching liquid to the documents contained in the enclosure under the effect of a break-in, characterized in that said means consist of at least one spongy element (3) which is arranged in the immediate vicinity of the edges of the documents (B) stored and stacked in the enclosure, and which is associated with the less a reservoir (R) of smearing liquid which, in the event of break-in, soaks the spongy element (3) coming into contact with the edges or edges of the documents to allow the migration of the smearing liquid on and between the edges or edges of the documents stored and stacked in the enclosure (C). 2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the aforementioned reservoir (R) is incorporated in the spongy element (3) interposed between the edges or edges of the documents and a sealed wall, such as for example a wall or a cover (1) of the enclosure, and takes the form of one or more pockets, bulbs (6), pipes or the like frangible. 3. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that at the aforementioned tank is associated at least one resistant heating wire (7) or a pyrotechnic means (8, 9) or a mechanical means causing the perforation of the tank (R) under the effect of a break-in. 4. Device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the aforementioned reservoir (R) incorporated in the sponge element (3) is sandwiched between two metal plates (10, 11), one of which (10) carries spikes or the like (12) capable of perforating said reservoir. 5. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the aforementioned reservoir (R) is external to the spongy element (3) which contains at minus a bag or preferably frangible tubes (16) connected to this tank. 6. Device according to claim 5, characterized in that the smearing liquid contained in the reservoir (R) is injected into the pocket or the tubes (16) in the event of break-in by a pressurized gas or by a piston (17) sliding mounted in the tank (R). 7. Device according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the aforementioned reservoir (R) is housed inside the enclosure (C) or located outside this enclosure. 8. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the aforementioned enclosure is a cassette for an automatic banknote dispenser. 9. Cassettes for automatic banknote dispensers, equipped with a device according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

Images