GB2138789A - Counting and half-wrapping apparatus for banknotes - Google Patents

Abstract

The apparatus has a unit (6) for sensing or discriminating the nominal values, authenticity or transport state of banknotes separately extracted from a stack (1) by a separating drum (4). A selector or changeover shutter plate (9) controlled by the unit (6) directs reject banknotes in one direction into a reject note stacker (8) and desired notes in another direction into a stack unit (10) for subsequent half- wrapping. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Counting and half-wrapping apparatus for banknotes This invention relates to an apparatus for counting the number of and half-wrapping or band-sealing paper sheets, such as banknotes.

Hitherto, this type of the counting appara tus has not been capable of discriminating banknotes of different nominal values, hence the risk that a banknote or banknotes of different nominal value exist inadvertently in the half-wrapped bundle of banknotes of the desired nominal value, resulting in a sum correspondingiy different from the correct value.

For obviating such deficiency, banknotes are sorted according to their different nominal values prior to being introduced into the counting apparatus. However, since the sort ing is carried out by manual operation, there is the risk that banknotes other than those of the desired nominal value be inadvertently introduced into the sorted motes, resulting in a sum correspondingly different from the correct value. Moreover, banknotes with folded edges or corners are difficult to set aside by the manual sorting operation. Hence, when the banknotes are introduced into the counting apparatus, those with folded edges or corners are counted and half-wrapped simultaneously with those positioned normally, resulting in half-wrapped bundles of the banknotes which are out of alignment with one another.

According to the invention there is provided an apparatus for counting the number of and half-wrapping banknotes, comprising, in combination, storage means for accommodating a stack of banknotes, extracting means for individually extracting banknotes from said storage means, sensing or discriminating means for sensing or discriminating the nominal value, authenticity or transport state of the banknotes extracted and forwarded to the sensing or discriminating means by said extracting means, selecting means for selectively forwarding the banknotes from said sensing or discriminating means in a selected one of two present directions, the selecting means being controlled by output signals supplied from the sensing or discriminating means, reject note receiving means for accommodating reject banknotes forwarded in one selected transport direction of the selecting means and stacking means for accommodating a predetermined number of the desired banknotes forwarded in the other selected transport direction of the selecting means, whereby reject notes contained in the banknotes extracted by the extracting means are forwarded towards the reject note receiving means and only the desired notes are forwarded into the stacking means by operation of the selecting means.

By the term "desired banknotes" is meant herein those having the correct appearance and the nominal value corresponding to-that being processed by the paper number counting and half-wrapping apparatus.

The invention will now be more particularly described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a schematic perspective view of one embodiment of apparatus for counting the number of and half-wrapping banknotes and capable of discriminating the banknotes of different nominal values according to the invention; Fig. 2 is a schematic view showing the transport chuck of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1 in a banknote chucking state; Fig. 3 is a schematic perspective view showing a modified embodiment of the halfwrapping unit of the apparatus shown in Fig.

1; Fig. 4 is a schematic view showing the transport chuck of the unit shown in Fig. 3 in a banknote chucking state; and Fig. 5 is a timing diagram showing the operational timing for the sequence of operations carried out in the half-wrapping apparatus.

In the drawings, the numeral 1 designates an L-shaped stack plate on which is stacked a pile of banknotes 2. A pair of guide rolls 3 are projected partially through slits formed in a bottom portion 1 a of the stack plate 1 to a level lying above the bottom plate 1 a. A separating drum 4 is supported for rotation by an output shaft of a counting electric motor, not shown, and adapted for separately extracting these banknotes 2. The drum 4 is disposed partially within a recess 1 b formed in the bottom portion la.

An inclined transport plate 5 defining a transfer path is provided below the stack plate 1. On the top of the transport plate 5, and adjacent to the stack plate 1, there is disposed a banknote sensing and discriminating unit 6 which is known per se and which is adapted for sensing the lengths of the long and short sides, pattern, magnetism or folded edges of the banknotes and discriminating the banknotes of different nominal values.

The sensing and discriminating unit 6 is comprised of electromagnetic means and has a signal generating section 6a and a signal receiving section 6b disposed in opposition to each otheron opposite sides of the transport plate 5. An L-shaped note transfer security member 7 and a reject note stacker 8 are provided about halfway along the transport plate 5. The security member 7 is carried for rotation by a main body of a half-wrapping device, not shown. On the side of the transport plate 5 opposite to the reject note stacker 8, a changerover shutter plate 9 is rotatably mounted to the main body of the half-wrapping device, not shown.The shutter plate 9 is connected to a driving unit, such as solenoid, which is known per se and therefore not shown, and which is adapted for turning bidirectionally as shown by the solid and dotted lines in Fig. 1 for changing the transport direction of the banknotes. Thus the driving unit is controlled by output signals from the discriminating unit 6 in such a manner that, when the shutter plate 9 is turned to the dotted-line position and projected through an opening 5a in the shutter plate 5 towards the reject note stacker 8, the notes 2 are fed into the stacker 8 and there placed,and such that, when the shutter plate 9 is turned to the solid-line position, the notes 2 are transferred downwards.

At the lower end of the transfer plate 5 and adjacent to the stacker 8, there is provided a stack unit 10 comprised of a stack plate 11 and a receiving plate 1 2. An L-shaped edge alignment plate 1 3 is provided adjacent to one side of the stack plate 11 and the receiving plate 52. The receiving plate 12 is carried for rotation by the main body, not shown, of the half-wrapping device and turned clockwise in Fig. 1 as the notes are stacked on the stack plate 11.

A transfer chuck 1 7 attached to the foremost part of a slider 1 6 movable in the direction of the arrow mark A is operably mounted in alignment with the stack unit 10.

The chuck 1 7 consists of a pair of chuck elements 17a, 1 7b (Fig. 2) that may be opened or closed, one element 1 7a having a convex chuck surface and the other 1 7b having a concave chuck surface complementary to the mating chuck surface of the element 17a.

The slider 16 is movable on a slide guide with a longitudinal concave profile and has its lower surface formed as one with a tooth rack 1 9 meshing with a gear 24 of a braking unit 23, the gear 24 meshing in turn with a pinion 22 of a rotary shaft 21 of a transport electric motor 20 which is mounted to a frame member. The slider 1 6 may be reciprocated in the direction of the arrow mark A by the operation of the tooth rack 1 9.

A half-wrapper ring 25 of known construction is mounted so as to encircle the foremost part of the movable member 16, and a stationary plate 27 having a gripping solenoid 26 is mounted to the rear of the movable member 1 6. An actuating plate 28 for solenoid 26 is connected to the transfer chuck 17 through a connecting rod 28b. The numeral 28a designates a return spring normally biasing the actuating rod 28 in a direction to open the transfer chuck 1 7.

The operation of the aforementioned counting and half-wrapping device will now be described.

A large number of banknotes 2 of different nominal values are stacked on the stack plate 1 and separately extracted in a known manner by the drum 4 which is driven in rotation by the counting electric motor, not shown The notes 2 are then supplied to the discriminating unit 6 for discrimination of the nominal values and so forth of the notes 2.

In instances where a note 2 is found at the unit 6 to be folded at the corner or to be of other than the desired nominal value, the shutter plate 9 is turned to the double-dotted chain line position in such a manner that the note is supplied to and placed in the reject note stacker 8. Conversely, in instances where a note is found to be of the desired nominal value, the shutter plate 9 is turned to the other or solid-line position, in such a manner that the desired notes are caused to descend into a space between the opened chuck elements 17a, 1 7b and placed on the stack plate 11 of the stack unit 10.

When a counter, not shown, connected to the discriminating unit 6 senses that, for example, 100 (one hundred) notes of the desired nominal value, have been supplied into the stack unit 10, the transport motor 20 is driven in reverse for slightly shifting the movable member 16 towards the stacker, so that the banknotes 2 are aligned edgewise by the alignmens plate 1 3. When the grip solenoid 26 is energized in this state, the connecting rod 28b is moved along the slider 16 a distance necessary for chucking. The chuck elements 17a, 1 7b of the transfer chuck 1 7 are closed in the direction shown by the arrow mark B for chucking the one end or the halfwrapper side end of a bundle 2a of banknotes.At the same time that the bundle 2a is moved from the stack unit 10 towards the half-wrapping unit 14, banknotes 2 for the next stack are introduced into the discriminating unit 6 for commencing the counting operation.

With the notes 2 thus chucked by the transfer chuck 17, the transport electric motor 20 is driven forward, in such a manner that the movable member 16 formed with the toothed rack 1 9 is displaced towards left in Fig. 1, along a straight path until the bundle 2a is pulled towards its leftward position as indicated by the double-dotted chain line, that is, a position within half-wrapper ring 25.

During this time, the bundle 2a is kept in the chucked stage. The slider 1 6 is then halted in a preset position by the operation of the braking unit 23, at the same time that a sealing tape 25a is applied in a known manner by the half-wrapper ring 25 to the periphery of the bundle 2a to complete the halfwrapping operation.

On completion of half-wrapping a printing solenoid, not shown, is energized for applying a stamp seal on the bundle 2a. The transport electric motor 20 is then actuated in reverse to shift the bundle 2a out of the half-wrapping unit. Thus the bundle 2a is introduced into a bundle stacker, not shown, as it is guided by a supporting plate 10a. The transfer chuck is moved further and reaches a position to grip a new bundle of banknotes at which time the operation of the transfer electric motor ceases.

Fig. 5 shows the operational timing of various operating parts in the course of the aforementioned sequence of operations.

Fig. 3 shows a modified embodiment of the half-wrapping unit of the counting and halfwrapping apparatus adapted for discriminating the banknotes of different nominal value of the present invention. In this modification, a tooth rack 19 is provided on a lateral side of the movable member 16, and an actuating rod 28 for a grip solenoid 26 provided on a stationary plate 27 of the movable member 1 6 is coupled to an actuating lever 1 7e in turn associated with meshing gears 17c, 1 7d that are provided to chuck elements 17a, 17b. The bundle 2a may be chucked similarly to the preceding embodiment by the operation of the solenoid 26.In Fig. 3, when the movable member 16 is at the solid-line position, the transfer chuck 1 7 is in the state of chucking or in the state ready to chuck the loose bundle at the stack unit 10. When the member 1 6 is in the double-chain-dotted line position, the chuck 1 7 is in the stage of chucking the bundle 2a at the half-wrapping unit.

Fig. 4 shows the state in which the bundle 2a is chucked by the chuck elements 17a, 1 7b in Fig. 3, wherein it is shown that the bundle 2a is chucked securely in the bent state.

From the foregoing it is seen that the present invention provides a counting and halfwrapping apparatus adapted to be capable of discriminating the banknotes of different nominal values and by which the presence of a banknote of a different nominal value from one presently processed or a banknote with folded edges or corners may be sensed or discriminated at the sensing and discriminating unit, in such a manner that only the desired banknotes, that is, the banknotes having the desired nominal value and appearance are supplied by the shutter plate towards the stacker, while the reject notes are forwarded by the shutter plate into the reject stacker to permit only the desired banknotes to be halfwrapped by the fully automatic process.

In this manner, the risk that the banknotes of different nominal value from the desired one or banknotes with folded corners or edges be inadvertently half-wrapped with the banknotes of desired nominal value and appearance as is frequently met in the conventional apparatus may be eliminated completely. In addition, the time interval from the start of counting until the end of half-wrapping may be shortened because the counting for the next batch of paper sheets can be started as soon as a bundle of paper sheets clears the stack unit.

Claims (5)

1. An apparatus for counting the number of and half-wrapping banknotes, comprising, in combination, storage means for accommodating a stack of banknotes, extracting means for individually extracting banknotes from said storage means, sensing or discriminating means for sensing or discriminating the nominal value, authenticity or transport state of the banknotes extracted and forwarded to the sensing or discriminating means by said extracting means, selecting means for selectively forwarding the banknotes from said sensing or discriminating means in a selected one of two present directions, the selecting means being controlled by output signals supplied from the sensing or discriminating means, reject note receiving means for accommodating reject banknotes forwarded in one selected transport direction of the selecting means and stacking means for accommodating a predetermined number of the desired banknotes forwarded in the other selected transport direction of the selecting means, whereby reject notes contained in the banknotes extracted by the extracting means are forwarded towards the reject note receiving means and only the desired notes are forwarded into the stacking means by operation of the selecting means.

2. The apparatus as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the reject note receiving means is in the form of a substantially horizontally arranged square-shaped saucer having an opening on a side receiving the banknotes.

3. The apparatus as claimed in Claim 2, wherein a banknote transport security plate is turnably mounted above the reject note receiving means.

4. An apparatus for counting the number of and half-wrapping banknotes, said apparatus being adapted to be capable of discriminating the banknotes of different nominal values, and said apparatus comprising, in combination, a hopper for accommodating a stack of banknotes, a drum mounted to said hopper and adapted for separately extracting said banknotes from said hopper, a unit provided next to said hopper and adapted for sensing or discriminating the nominal value, authenticity or transport state of the banknotes extracted and forwarded by said drum, a changeover shutter plate provided next to said sensing and discriminating unit and adapted for selectively forwarding the banknotes from said sensing and discriminating unit in occasionally selected one of two preset directions, said shutter plate being controlled by output signals supplied from said unit, a reject note stacker provided next to said shutter plate and adapted for accommodating reject banknotes forwarded in one selected transport direction of said shutter plate, and a stack unit provided next to said reject note stacker and adapted for accommodating a predetermined number of the desired sheets forwarded in the other selected transport direction of said shutter plate, whereby reject notes contained in the banknotes extracted by said drum are forwarded towards said reject note stacker and only the desired notes are forwarded into said stack unit by the operation of said changeover shutter plate.

5. Apparatus for counting the number of and half-wrapping banknotes, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to anyone of the embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings.