EP0473471B1 - 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 subject of the present invention is an enclosure for storing and smudging valuable documents such as banknotes in the event of break-in.

It relates more particularly to cassettes for an automatic banknote dispenser.

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 banknotes unusable by the criminals without completely destroying them, 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 may not be suitable for 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 drawback of only marking the tickets on the edge, that is to say very locally.

In this respect, we know from document FR-A-2 583 455 an enclosure for storing valuables of the type described in the preamble of claim 1, and to which is connected a reservoir of smearing product itself. even connected to a compressed gas cartridge, the assembly constituting a bulky installation and complicated implementation.

Also, the present invention aims to remedy the above drawbacks by providing an enclosure for smudging or discoloration of banknotes which is particularly compact and reliable, does not risk damaging the environment of the device which use 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 an enclosure for storing documents of value, such as banknotes, with which is associated at least one reservoir of staining or bleaching liquid and capable of delivering the staining or bleaching liquid under the effect of a break-in, characterized in that it comprises at least one spongy element which is arranged in the immediate vicinity of the edges or edges of the documents stored and stacked in the enclosure, and with which is associated said reservoir of smearing liquid which, in the event of a break-in, soak 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 or edges of the documents stored and stacked in the enclosure.

According to an advantageous characteristic of this enclosure, the aforementioned 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 aforementioned reservoir is external to the spongy element which contains at least one pocket or preferably frangible tubes connected to this reservoir.

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

It will be observed that the aforementioned reservoir can be housed inside the enclosure or else located outside this enclosure.

According to another advantageous characteristic of the invention, the aforementioned enclosure is a cassette for an automatic banknote dispenser.

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

However, other advantages and characteristics of the enclosure according to 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 respectively illustrate in perspective three variants of the tank incorporated into the sponge element.

Figure 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 schematic partial 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 cassette for a cash dispenser and containing a reservoir external to the sponge element.

FIG. 13 is a perspective and enlarged view of part XIII of FIG. 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 external to said cassettes.

Referring to Figures 1 to 3, we see a cassette C for automatic cash dispenser, this cassette having a cover 1 hinged by a hinge 2 and containing a multiplicity of bank notes B stacked 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.

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 edges upper banknotes B. Thus, the spongy element 3 receiving the smearing liquid delivered, in the event of break-in, by a reservoir which will be described below, will soak the spongy element 3 which will swell and, as is can clearly see in Figure 3, can soak the edge of the banknotes B, and this while migrating by capillary action between the banknotes to ensure a significant marking thereof which will therefore be unusable by criminals.

As can be seen in FIG. 4, in the spongy element 3, there is incorporated a reservoir R of smearing 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 sponge element 3 has the form of a coil comprising, on preferably all its length, small fragile zones 5 allowing the delivery of the liquid product smearing to the spongy element 3 under the effect of a pressure for example.

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

In the case where the tank R consists of one or more flexible bags, for example of a synthetic or plastic material, which can 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 can be seen in FIG. 9, to associate with the reservoir R incorporated 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 spongy element 3 can be sandwiched between two metal plates 10, 11 one of which carries spikes 12 capable of perforating said reservoir, and whose 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 deliver smearing product to the spongy element 3 after perforation of the reservoir R under the effect of a break-in causing the bringing together of the plates 10 and 11, as is clearly visible in FIG. 11, it being understood, although this is not not shown in this figure, that the smearing product moistening the spongy element 3 will soak the banknotes, as shown in Figure 3.

According to the variant illustrated in FIGS. 12 and 13, the reservoir R is outside the spongy 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 tank 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 banknotes joined, 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.

An enclosure has therefore been produced according to the invention allowing the staining of banknotes which remains clean and harmless, cannot be dangerous under the effect of manipulation and allows effective impregnation of the notes which are consequently unusable by criminals, and this without being dependent on the position of the enclosure and therefore on gravity.

Of course, the invention as defined by the appended claims is in no way limited to the embodiments described and illustrated which have been given only by way of example.

Claims (8)

1. Enclosure for the storage of valuable documents such as banknotes (B) with which is associated at least one tank (R) for a blurring or discoloring liquid and susceptible of delivering the blurring or discoloring liquid under the effect of a breach, characterized in that it comprises at least one spongy element (3) which is disposed in the immediate vicinity of the edges or cut edges of the documents (B) stored and stacked in the enclosure (C) and with which is associated the said tank (R) for the blurring liquid which, in case of a breach, soaks the spongy element (3)coming into contact with the edges or cut edges of the documents to allow the migration of the blurring liquid on and between the edges or cut edges of the documents stored and piled up in the enclosure (C).
2. Enclosure according to claim 1, characterized in that the aforesaid tank (R) is incorporated into the spongy element (3) interposed between the edges or cut edges of the documents and a fluid-tight wall such for example as a wall or a cover (1) of the enclosure and assumes the shape of one or several frangible pockets, phials (6), ducts or the like.
3. Enclosure according to claim 2, characterized in that with the aforesaid tank is associated at least one heating resistor wire (7) or a pyrotechnical means (8, 9) or a mechanical means causing the perforation of the tank (R) under the effect of a breach.
4. Enclosure according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the aforesaid tank (R) incorporated into the spongy element (3) is sandwiched between two metallic plates (10, 11) one (10) of which carries points or the like (12) susceptible of perforating the said tank.
5. Enclosure according to claim 1, characterized in that the aforesaid tank (R) is outside of the spongy element (3) which contains at least one pocket or preferably frangible tubes (16) connected to this tank.
6. Enclosure according to claim 5, characterized in that the blurring liquid contained in the tank (R) is injected into the pocket or the tubes (16) in case of breach by a gas under pressure or by a piston (17) slidably mounted in the tank (R).
7. Enclosure according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the aforesaid tank (R) is accommodated inside of the said enclosure or located outside of the latter.
8. Enclosure according to one of the foregoing claims, characterized in that it constitutes a cash box for an automatic banknote dispenser.

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