EP0615215B1 - Value paper counting station, particularly banknotes in bundels - Google Patents

Abstract

The counting station has a transport stage (2b), on which the banded bundles of securities (P) are moved uniformly at a specific distance past the rotating counting disc (1a, 1a') of a securities counter (1, 1') installed permanently on this transport stage. The transport stage (2b) is followed by a switch (9) with two further transport stages (2c, 2d), of which one receives bundles of securities with the correct number of securities and the other bundles of securities with an incorrect number of securities. <IMAGE>

Description

The invention relates to a counting station for counting the banknotes, in particular the banknotes, of a banded bundle of banknotes in a finishing device for freshly printed banknotes, with at least one automatically operating counter with a rotating counter.

Counting stations with automatic counting devices which have a rotating counting disc are already known (for example US Pat. No. 3,436,529). With these known counting devices, the banknotes of a bank note package are counted in such a way that the counter with its rotating counter disc moves uniformly past the fixed or held bank note package, the counter wheel engaging in a corner area of the bank note package and, when it is turned, the corner of each bank note being sucked in bends a little and moves to the other side of the counter, so that the rotating counter flips through the whole package of notes, so to speak. Counters of this type are on the market under the trade name "Sheetmaster", manufactured by the British company DE LA RUE Instruments, London. After the counting of a package of notes has to be removed from the counter, the following package of notes must be brought into the correct counting position and the counter must be moved back to its starting position.

Furthermore, a counting station, as specified in the preamble of claim 1, is already known from DE-C-239 888, the stack of the notes of value to be counted being placed on a base such that one corner of the stack is raised. Above this raised corner, a counter disk, which is connected to a stationary counter but is axially displaceable, can be rotated, which is pressed against the raised corner by a spring and is provided with a driver on its underside. When the disk is rotated, this driver takes the top note of the stack held at the opposite corner with it and sets it apart from the other notes. This lifted bill is then captured by a rotating, helically rising transport disc, which is mounted at a distance from the counter, and separated from the stack of notes. This game repeats itself with each revolution of the counter, so that with each revolution registered by the counter, a bill of value is lifted off the stack and transported away, the counter being moved under the action of the spring in accordance with the decreasing stack thickness.

With this counting station too, each package of notes to be counted must be brought into the correct counting position, removed from the base after the counting process and the counting disc moved back to its starting position.

The operations required to count successive packages of notes are cumbersome and time-consuming. This is particularly noticeable in the finishing of freshly printed notes, in particular banknotes.

At the end of a processing device for banknotes, bundled packages with 1000 banknotes each are generally counted before these packages are then sealed in plastic. Each package usually contains 10 bundled bundles of banknotes, each with 100 banknotes. The counting process is of great importance, since of course the number of 1000 banknotes per package must be guaranteed. In the processing devices on the market, the usual banknote counting devices, as mentioned above, are installed, which are only slightly modified for installation in the transfer line. This means that a counter is installed in a fully automatic transfer line, which is actually intended for manual loading. This transfer line, so to speak, replaces the movement of the hand that feeds the package, holds it in place during the counting process and removes it after the counting process, by mechanical means. With this arrangement, which has been customary up to now, the ratio of non-productive times to main time (i.e. to the actual counting process) is approximately 50% to 50%, so that at least half of the total time required for the operation must be spent on non-productive times, i.e. for feeding and Adjustment of the package, for its removal after the counting process and for the return of the counting device.

With the high performance of modern processing devices, which can process up to 480,000 banknotes / hour. can process, for the time available for the counting process, for example 7.5 seconds. Since one generally works alternately with two processing devices, 15 seconds are available per counting device and counting process. This short period of time forces the designer to do more To use counting devices per processing machine, or to provide very high counting speeds, namely a count of, for example, 200 banknotes per second. However, such high counting speeds require a high level of technical effort and special technical attention.

Figures 1 to 6 schematically illustrate the operation of previously conventional counting devices, in which the counting disk is guided vertically from top to bottom through a corner of the value package and counts while the value package itself is stationary.

The present invention has for its object to reduce the idle times previously required in the counting of value note packages in favor of the main time, that is to say the actual counting time, so that the counting speed of the counting device does not have to be disproportionately high in a modern processing device of high performance.

This object is achieved according to the invention by the features specified in the characterizing part of claim 1.

By installing the counting device with its counting disc in a stationary position and moving the coupon packages continuously past the counting disc, idle times are practically completely suppressed, since the coupon packages in the direction of transport are practically one after the other with only very slight interruptions, depending on the spacing between consecutive coupon packages can be supplied.

Appropriate embodiments of the invention result from the dependent claims.

• Figuren 1 bis 6 zeigen, wie bereits erwähnt, den Zählvorgang mit einem bisher üblichen Zählgerät gemäss dem bekannten Stande der Technik,
• Figur 7 zeigt schematisch in perspektivischer Darstellung, eine Zählstation nach der Erfindung innerhalb einer Transferstrasse für die Wertscheinpakete,
• Figur 8 zeigt eine Seitenansicht eines auf einer Transportauflage fortbewegten Wertscheinpakets, das von einem Mitnehmer geschoben wird und an einem Vorderanschlag anliegt,
• Figur 9 zeigt eine Draufsicht auf das Wertscheinpaket und die Transportauflage nach Figur 8,
• Figur 10 zeigt eine Zählstation mit einer anders gestalteten Transportstrecke, welche Wertscheinpakete vertikal aufwärts am Zählgerät vorbeibewegt,
• Figur 10a und 10b zeigen in vergrössertem Massstab den Bereich der Zählstation sowie die Station zur Entnahme der gezählten Wertscheinpakete von der Transportstrecke, und
• Figur 11 zeigt schematisch eine Draufsicht auf die Zählstation im Sinne des Pfeils XI nach Figur 10a.

The invention is explained in more detail with reference to the drawing.

• 1 to 6 show, as already mentioned, the counting process with a previously conventional counting device according to the known prior art,
• FIG. 7 schematically shows a perspective view of a counting station according to the invention within a transfer line for the value-added packages,
• FIG. 8 shows a side view of a parcel of value moving on a transport support, which is pushed by a driver and abuts against a front stop,
• FIG. 9 shows a top view of the package of notes and the transport pad according to FIG. 8,
• FIG. 10 shows a counting station with a differently designed transport route, which moves packages of notes vertically upwards past the counting device,
• 10a and 10b show, on an enlarged scale, the area of the counting station and the station for removing the counted value note packages from the transport route, and
• FIG. 11 schematically shows a top view of the counting station in the direction of arrow XI according to FIG. 10a.

First of all, the known state of the art will be briefly explained once again with reference to FIGS. 1 to 6: According to FIG. 1, a value packet P is moved on a transport path 2 in the direction of the arrow into a counting position under a counting device, of which only the rotating counting disk la is shown, and held in this count position. Then the counting device with its counting disk la is moved vertically downward in the direction of the arrow according to FIG. 2, the counting disk according to FIG. 3 scrolling through the corners of the note packet and according to FIG. 4 a position below the note packet P after the counting has ended occupies. Then, according to FIG. 5, the counted bill of value packet P is moved in the direction of the arrow and, according to FIG.

In contrast, the counting station according to the present invention is constructed in accordance with FIG. 7, in which part of a transfer road with the transport routes 2a, 2b, 2c and 2d is shown, on which the value parcel P is moved in the direction of the arrows. The straight-line transport route 2b belongs to the counting station, which in the example considered has two counting devices 1 and 1 ', which are arranged offset on the opposite sides of the transport route. The transport path 2b is equipped with a feed system which uniformly moves the packages of notes P past the counting devices 1 and 1 'at a certain distance from one another.

In the example considered, this feed system consists of an endless chain or belt conveyor 6, which runs under a fixed transport support 3 and to which, as shown schematically in FIGS. 8 and 9, drivers 4 and front stops 5 are fastened. The drivers 4, of which two each abut the rear edge of a value-added packet P, project with their lower section 4a through two parallel longitudinal grooves 3a of the transport support 3 and are pivotably articulated on the endless conveyor 6 about the axis 4b in the sense of the double arrow. They are subject to the action of a spring, not shown, in such a way that they are biased in the transport direction and can yield elastically in the opposite direction to the transport direction. The front stops 5 are carried by feet 5a, which also protrude through the longitudinal grooves 3a and are fastened to the conveyor 6 are.

Each banknote package P consists of ten bundled bundles of banknotes W, each with 100 freshly printed banknotes, so it contains a total of 1000 banknotes. The value-added parcels P fed on the transport route 2a in the direction of the arrows, in which the value-added notes lie one above the other, are guided past a banding station 7, which is only indicated schematically, and provided with a band B there. The value-added packages P are then tilted 90 ° at a tilting station 8, so that the value notes in the value-added package now lie upright, one behind the other in the transport direction, on the transport route. Depending on the package edges on which one or more counts are to be carried out, the value package P is tilted in the sense of one or the other curved arrow to one broad side or, as indicated by dash-dotted lines, to the other broad side.

The value-added parcels P then arrive on the transport path 2b oriented at right angles to the transport path 2a, where they are taken over by the drivers 4, pressed against the relevant front stops 5 and moved on the transport support 3. The individual notes of value in the parcels lie upright on the long edge and across the direction of transport. The two counting devices 1 and 1 'installed stationary on the transport route 2b are installed with their rotating counting disks 1a and 1a', which are driven by drive wheels 1b and 1b 'and corresponding belts, in such a way that the value-added packages P moving at a uniform speed end at the counting end Edge of the counting disk 1a or 1a 'are passed, while this counting disk the corners of the individual notes of value of each package leaf through and count. The axis of rotation of the counting disc is approximately parallel to the direction of transport of the value packages, and the plane of the counting disc is therefore oriented essentially vertically. So that the transport speed of a parcel of notes does not need to be exactly synchronized with the counting speed determined by the speed of the rotating counting disc, i.e. with the speed at which the counting disc scrolls through the package, the drivers 4, as already mentioned, are arranged in an elastically flexible manner so that the package of notes P can yield about elastic if necessary.

The feed system of the transport path 2b can also be constructed differently, the only essential thing is that the packages of notes are moved uniformly and that one corner of the notes is freely accessible to the counter.

In the example considered, according to a preferred embodiment, the transport support 3 of the transport path 2b is inclined forward, so that the feed movement is favored by the gravitational force and the value packages P are slidably guided on an inclined plane through the counting edge of the counting disc.

In the example considered, each value packet P is also counted twice in succession at different corners on the same transport route, so there is a so-called redundancy count for security reasons. In principle, a single count with just one counter can be sufficient.

After the counting has ended, the value-added parcels P arrive at a switch 9, from which downstream transport routes 2c and 2d branch off in different directions. All packages of notes which have the correct number of notes are moved on the transport route 2c and arrive at a packaging station, while the other transport route 2d receives those packages of notes in which the count resulted in an incorrect number of notes.

The transport routes 2a, 2c and 2d can, as indicated in FIG. 7, also be provided with belt or chain conveyors and carriers attached to them, or with any other feed system.

In a finishing device with an output of 480,000 bills per hour and in reciprocal operation with two machines, for example, a total of 15 seconds are available for a counting operation, so that for counting the 1000 bills of value of a package with a non-productive time of, for example, only 1 or 2 Seconds, a counting time of 13 to 14 seconds is available, that is, 70 to 80 notes / second.

In the exemplary embodiment of a counting station according to FIG. 10, the transport path 12, on which the stationary counting device 1 is located, is oriented vertically. The feed system, which moves the packages of notes vertically upwards past the counting device 1, consists of an endless chain 16 provided with drivers 14, which rotates on the outer circumference of a closed, oval-shaped rail 13 in the direction of the arrows. Each driver 14 has an angle piece 15 with a leg 15a oriented tangentially to the rail 13 and one oriented radially or at right angles thereto Leg 15b on. The leg 15a is provided with two rollers 17 which are rotatably mounted on the chain 16 and roll on the rail 13. Instead of a chain 16, an endless belt can also be provided.

On each angle piece 15, an outwardly open receptacle 18 is fastened for receiving a banded value packet P, which in the example under consideration contains 100 notes of value. The receiving compartment has two substantially parallel walls 19 and 20, which extend radially to the rail 13 and of which the front wall 20 in the transport direction is somewhat shorter than the rear wall 19 and is bent obliquely away from this rear wall 19 at its free end. The position of a package of notes within a receiving compartment 18 during the counting process is defined by an inner stop 21 which is fastened to the wall 19 and against which the inner end of the package of notes abuts. In this counting position, the wall 19 thus forms the support for the value packet, which is oriented horizontally in the receiving compartment 18 with its value notes and whose outer end region is not covered by the shorter wall 20.

In order to ensure correct guiding of the carriers 14 with their receiving compartments 18 during the vertical upward movement along the transport path 12, i.e. during counting, a vertical guide rail 22 is provided parallel to the vertical section 13a of the guide rail 13, such that the rollers 17 between the vertical section 13a of the rail 13 and the guide rail 22 are guided.

10 and 10a from the left in the horizontal direction on the transfer line, the banded value packets P which are transported by a transport chain by means of thrust fingers 25 are taken over by an articulated slide 24, pushed on and arrive at the input station 23 on the Transport route 12. The arrangement is such that in each case an upwardly moving receiving compartment 18 passing through the input station 23 accepts an incoming package of notes which is pushed by the slider 24 into this compartment until it abuts the stop 21. The successively arriving parcel of notes arrives one after the other in the following receiving compartments 18.

During its steady upward movement, one of the corners of the banknotes lying vertically one above the other in the banknote package is counted by its counter disk 1a when passing through the stationary counter 1, the plane of which is oriented essentially horizontally. In the example considered according to FIGS. 10 and 10a, a further counter 1 'is arranged in dash-dotted lines above the counter 1 and, perpendicular to the plane of the drawing, counts the other outer corner of the notes of a package of notes. After the counting, the packages of notes of value are transported further in their compartments along the guide rail 13, moved downwards along the other vertical section of this rail 13, at the lower end of this vertical section at the removal station 26 (FIG. 10b) by means of a sliding finger 27 pulled out of the receiving compartment and opened transported on the transfer road. A securing plate 27, which surrounds the outer ends of the receiving compartments at a small distance, prevents the note packages from slipping out from their compartments during transport to the removal station 26.

In the example under consideration, the walls 19 of the receiving compartments 18 are so long that a package of notes lies on this wall 19 as it passes the transport route 12 over its entire length and the corner area of the package of notes detected by the counting device is supported at the bottom when counting, which is a perfect count is advantageous. So that the wall 19 can now freely pass the counting disk la of the counting device 1 after counting the lower last bill of value, the corner region of the wall 19 covered by the counting disk la is designed as a displaceable corner piece 19a, which is formed by means of a Guide pin 30 in a guide 31 mounted on the underside of the wall 19 is displaceable against the action of a spring 32, specifically in the direction of the interior of the receiving compartment 18, that is to the right in the illustration according to FIG. For this purpose, a cutout 33 is provided on the relevant side of the wall 19, into which the corner piece 19a engages in the inserted position. It should be noted that the walls 19 of all the receiving compartments 18 are provided in this way with a displaceable corner piece 19a and a guide 30, 31, 32, which for reasons of simplicity is shown in FIGS. 10 and 10a only for the receiving compartments 18, which are just the counting disks pass la or la 'of the counters.

In order to push back the corner piece 19a on the wall 19 at the right time, a plunger 28 (FIG. 10a) which is longitudinally displaceable in a fixed guide 29 is provided immediately below the counting device 1 and is automatically actuated in such a way that it immediately one after the counting of all notes of value Value package temporarily the corner piece 19a 11, so that it lies in the cutout 33 according to FIG. 11 and thus can pass the counting disk la unhindered. For this purpose, the plunger 28 presses against a beveled end face 34 of the corner piece 19a, which due to the dimension of this end face in the transport direction is held by the plunger 28 in the retracted position until it has been moved past the counting disk la. Then, under the action of the spring 32, the corner piece 19a is pushed back into its normal position shown in FIG. 11, and the plunger 28 is also withdrawn. The process described above is repeated when passing through each receiving compartment. If a second stationary counting device 1 'is present, then of course the same sliding mechanism as described above is provided, and the other outer corner region of each wall 19 is designed as a displaceable corner piece.

The movement of the endless chain 16 with its receiving compartments and the back and forth movement of the ram 28 are of course synchronized in such a way that the corner pieces 19a are pushed back at the right time. The chain 16 can rotate continuously or can also be controlled intermittently, so that it stops briefly after the counting of a package of notes has ended, while the plunger 28 moves the relevant corner piece 19a.

The counting station according to the invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments described, but rather allows for numerous variants with regard to the design and arrangement of the transport routes and the feed systems.

Claims (11)

1. A counting station for counting the notes of value, in particular banknotes, of banderoled packs of notes P in a processing apparatus for freshly printed notes of value, having at least one automatically operating counting device (1, 1') with rotating counting disk (1a, 1a') and with a transporting section for the packs of notes, wherein the counting device (1, 1') with its counting disk (la, la') is arranged stationarily on the transporting section (2b, 12) and this transporting section is equipped with a feed system (4, 5, 6; 16, 18) moving the packs of notes at certain intervals from one another uniformally past the counting disk (1a, 1a').
2. The counting station as claimed in claim 1, wherein the feed system has drivers (4; 14) arranged at the same intervals from one another.
3. The counting station as claimed in claim 2, wherein the drivers (4) are flexibly yielding opposite to the transporting direction of the packs of notes (P).
4. The counting station as claimed in one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the feed system has front stops (5) for the packs of notes (P).
5. The counting station as claimed in one of claims 2 to 4, wherein the drivers (4) and, if provided, the front stops (5) are attached on a belt or chain conveyor (6) running underneath a fixed transporting support (3) and protrude through longitudinal grooves (3a) of the transporting support.
6. The counting station as claimed in one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the mentioned transporting section (2b) on which the counting device (1, 1') is fastened is inclined sloping downward in the transporting direction.
7. The counting station as claimed in claim 1, wherein the mentioned transporting section (12) is oriented substantially vertically and the feed mechanism has laterally open receiving compartments (18) and is set up for the purpose of moving the packs of notes (P), with their notes of value lying one on top of the other, upward past the counting device (1, 1'), the plane of the counting disk (1a, 1a') being oriented substantially horizontally.
8. The counting station as claimed in claim 7, wherein the feed system has a closed belt or chain conveyor (16) which runs along an ovally shaped closed guide rail (13), oriented with its longitudinal axis substantially vertical, and on which the receiving compartments (18) are fastened such that they protrude radially, one of the vertical sections (13a) forming the transporting section (12) provided with at least one counting device (1).
9. The counting station as claimed in claim 8, wherein the receiving compartments (18) have a rear wall (19), seen in the transporting direction, which is adapted to the overall bearing surface of a pack of notes and is provided in that corner region on which the note corner to be counted rests with an inwardly displaceable corner piece (19a), which can be pushed back by a push rod (28) on passing the counting disk (1a, 1a').
10. The counting station as claimed in one of claims 1 to 9, wherein there are arranged on the mentioned transporting section (2b; 12) two counting devices (1, 1'), which are arranged offset in the transporting direction and perform the counting at different corners of each pack of notes (P).
11. The counting station as claimed in one of claims 1 to 10, wherein there is arranged downstream of the mentioned transporting section (2b) a diverter (9) with two branching-off further transporting sections (2c, 2d), of which the one transporting section (2c) is set up for receiving packs of notes having a correct number of notes of value and the other transporting section (2d) is set up for receiving packs of notes having an incorrect number of notes of value.

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