GB2213472A - Sheet feeding apparatus - Google Patents
Sheet feeding apparatus Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- GB2213472A GB2213472A GB8728745A GB8728745A GB2213472A GB 2213472 A GB2213472 A GB 2213472A GB 8728745 A GB8728745 A GB 8728745A GB 8728745 A GB8728745 A GB 8728745A GB 2213472 A GB2213472 A GB 2213472A
- Authority
- GB
- United Kingdom
- Prior art keywords
- feed system
- sheets
- fed
- feed
- stack
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Withdrawn
Links
Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
- B65H29/00—Delivering or advancing articles from machines; Advancing articles to or into piles
- B65H29/58—Article switches or diverters
- B65H29/62—Article switches or diverters diverting faulty articles from the main streams
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
- B65H31/00—Pile receivers
- B65H31/28—Bands, chains, or like moving receivers
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
- B65H43/00—Use of control, checking, or safety devices, e.g. automatic devices comprising an element for sensing a variable
- B65H43/04—Use of control, checking, or safety devices, e.g. automatic devices comprising an element for sensing a variable detecting, or responding to, presence of faulty articles
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
- G07D—HANDLING OF COINS OR VALUABLE PAPERS, e.g. TESTING, SORTING BY DENOMINATIONS, COUNTING, DISPENSING, CHANGING OR DEPOSITING
- G07D11/00—Devices accepting coins; Devices accepting, dispensing, sorting or counting valuable papers
- G07D11/10—Mechanical details
- G07D11/16—Handling of valuable papers
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
- B65H2404/00—Parts for transporting or guiding the handled material
- B65H2404/20—Belts
- B65H2404/26—Particular arrangement of belt, or belts
- B65H2404/261—Arrangement of belts, or belt(s) / roller(s) facing each other for forming a transport nip
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
- B65H2701/00—Handled material; Storage means
- B65H2701/10—Handled articles or webs
- B65H2701/19—Specific article or web
- B65H2701/1912—Banknotes, bills and cheques or the like
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Controlling Sheets Or Webs (AREA)
Abstract
Sheet feeding apparatus, for example a banknote acceptor, comprises first, second, and third feed systems (2, 3; 9', 12; 9', 11); a control system comprising three motors (M1, M2, M3) for driving each of the feed systems; and a microcomputer (31). The first feed system (2, 3) feeds sheets to a stacking station (24) to which a previously formed stack of sheets (28) is fed by the third feed system (9, 11). The control system operates the first and third feed systems to cause a sheet fed by the first feed system (2, 3) to be assembled with the previously formed stack (28) as that stack is fed past the stacking station (24), to the second feed system (9', 12). The second and third feed systems (9', 12; 9, 11) are reversible to enable a stack of sheets held by the second system to be fed back past the stacking system (24) to the third feed system. A validator (90) detects sheets fed by the first feed system (2, 3) and the microcomputer (31) responds to the detection of a predetermined type of sheet, such as a counterfeit banknote, to prevent the third feed system (9, 11) feeding the stack of sheets to the stacking station (24) and allowing the detected sheet to be fed directly to the second feed system (9', 12) <IMAGE>
Description
SHEET FEEDING APPARATUS
The invention relates to sheet feeding apparatus.
In our European Patent Application No. 0194139 we described sheet stacking apparatus in which sheets are fed through a stacking station at which they are assembled onto a previously formed sheet stack fed by a separate feed system.
This stacking apparatus may be used with a fitness detection system adjacent an inlet opening of the apparatus. Fitness includes the physical condition of sheets and sheet authenticity. In the past, if the fitness detection system has detected an unfit sheet this has been immediately reversed back out of the apparatus.
In order to prevent jamming of the feed mechanism and the like it has been the practice to position a gate across the inlet opening and to retract the gate when sheets are to pass through. Unfortunately, it has been found that during reverse feeding by the fitness detection system, sheets have jammed against the retracted gate.
One possible solution to this problem is, on the detection of an unfit sheet, to stack this in the usual way but, instead of feeding the newly assembled stack back in preparation for a receipt of the further sheet, to feed out of the apparatus the entire newly formed stack. This, however, leads to unacceptable delay in forming a stack of acceptable sheets and, in the case of sheet accepting apparatus, such as banknote accepting apparatus, results in a customer receiving back the full stack of banknotes which he has previously fed into the machine with a consequent need to refeed the banknotes.
In order to overcome this problem, we have devised in accordance with the present invention sheet feeding apparatus comprising control means; first, second, and third feed systems, the first feed system feeding sheets to a stacking station to which a previously formed stack of sheets is fed by the third feed system whereby the control means operates the first and third feed systems to cause sheets fed by the first feed system to be assembled with the previously formed stack as that stack is fed past the stacking station, the new stack being received by the second feed system, the second and third systems being reversible to enable a stack of sheets held by the second system to be fed back past the stacking station to the third feed system; and detection means for detecting the sheets fed by the first feed system, the control means being responsive to the detection of a predetermined type of sheet to prevent the third feed system feeding a previously formed stack of sheets to the stacking station and allowing the detected sheet to be fed to the second feed system without being assembled with the previously formed stack.
The invention deals with the problems outlined above by controlling the second feed system independently of the third feed system. Previously, the second and third feed systems were formed by a common transport mechanism.
Thus, if a sheet of a predetermined type, for example a counterfeit banknote, is detected, then any previously stacked sheets held by the third feed system will be held in an intermediate storage or escrow position while the detected sheet is fed past the stacking station into the second feed system. The second feed system can then be controlled to feed the detected sheet out of the apparatus or into a reject store, as appropriate. The apparatus could also be used to sort a particular type of sheet into a stack, while other types of sheet were prevented from being stacked. In this case, the "predetermined type" of sheet could relate to the denomination of the sheet in the case of a banknote or the authenticity of the sheet, particularly in the case of a security document or banknote.In addition, the "predetermined type could refer to the physical fitness of the sheet.
In the preferred example, the second feed system communicates with both a reject position and a sheet store into which a completely assembled stack of sheets may be positioned. This arrangement is particularly suitable for cash accepting apparatus. Alternatively, the second feed system could communicate with a reject position and a sheet outlet position to which an assembled stack of sheets is fed. In this case, the apparatus will be particularly suitable for a cash dispenser.
In the preferred arrangement, the first feed system is adapted to receive sheets from an inlet opening (which may be closed by a conventional, retractable gate). In the alternative (dispensing) arrangement mentioned above, the first feed system could receive sheets from a sheet store such as a banknote cassette.
Typically, the control means includes three motors, each associated with a respective feed system; and a control unit, such as a microprocessor, for controlling operation of the motors. Alternatively, a single motor could be provided linked by suitable clutch mechanisms with the feed systems.
The feed systems themselves are conveniently formed by co-operating endless belts although other forms of feed such as vacuum feed systems could be employed.
It should be understood that when the apparatus is first used during the stacking operation, there will no sheets held by the third feed system. After the first sheet has been fed, a single sheet will be held by the third feed system which in itself will comprise a "stack of sheets". Thus, references to a "previously formed stack of sheets" should be interpreted accordingly.
Conveniently, the apparatus further comprises moveable guide means positioned at the stacking station and controlled by the control means to move between first and second positions wherein in the second position sheets may be fed from the first and third feed systems to the second feed system while in the first position a stack of sheets may be fed by the second feed system past the stacking station to the third feed system.
In order that the invention may be better understood, an example of a banknote acceptor in accordance with the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:- Figure 1 is a schematic side view of the apparatus;
Figure 2 is a flow diagram illustrating operation of a microcomputer;
Figure 3 is a plan, with the side plates shown in section, of the stacking station with other parts omitted for clarity;
Figure 4 illustrates apparatus for controlling the position of the diverter; and,
Figure 5 is a plan, with the side plates shown in section, of the junction between the second and third feed systems with other parts omitted for clarity.
The apparatus illustrated in Figure 1 forms part of a banknote acceptor which is not otherwise illustrated.
The apparatus is supported between a pair of side plates 1, 1' . The apparatus comprises a first feed system defined by two laterally spaced pairs of cooperating belts 2, 3. Only one of each pair of belts is illustrated in Figure 1. The belts 2 are entrained about idler rollers 4 while each belt 3 is entrained about idler rollers 5 and respective drive rollers 6. Each drive roller 6 is non-rotatably mounted to a drive shaft 7 which is driven via a drive pulley 7' non-rotatably mounted to the shaft 7 and connected by a drive belt 8 to a motor M1.
A second sheet feed system comprises a pair of laterally spaced belts 9' entrained around idler rollers 10'' and idler rollers 100 (Figure 5) rotatably mounted to a shaft 101 fixed between the side plates 1, 1'. Each belt 9' co-operates with a respective belt 12 entrained about idler rollers 10'', 15, and drive rollers 16. The drive rollers 16 are driven by a motor M2 via a drive belt 102 entrained around a drive pulley non-rotatably mounted to the shaft.
A third sheet feed system comprises a laterally spaced pair of belts 9 entrained about idler rollers 10, 10'. The belts 9 co-operate with a pair of belts 11.
Only one of each pair of belts is illustrated in Figure 1. Each belt 11 is entrained about respective idler rollers 10',13 and a respective drive roller 14 mounted on a shaft 22. A motor M3 selectively drives, as will be explained below, a toothed drive belt 17 which is entrained around a drive pulley 19 mounted non-rotatably on the shaft 22 to which the drive rollers 14 are non-rotatably mounted. The motor M3 thus causes motion of the third feed system via the shaft 22.
The idler rollers 10, 100 are rotatably mounted to the shaft 101. In this way, the second and third feed systems are independent of one another. This is shown more clearly in Figure 5.
The motors Ml, M2, M3 are controlled by a microprocessor 31 (Figure 4) (such as a 6809) in response to signals from two sensors S1, S2, and a conventional validator 90 positioned at an inlet 105 to the apparatus.
Each sensor S1, S2, comprises a light emitting diode (LED) and a photo-transistor arranged on opposite sides of the feed paths defined by the first and second feed systems respectively.
A stacking station 24 is positioned at the junction between the feed systems and includes a diverter 25 formed by a pair of generally wedge shaped, unitary elements 25A, 25B each being non-rotatably mounted to a shaft 26 pivoted between the side plates 1, 1'. The diverter 25 is biased into the (first) position shown in solid lines in Figure 1 by a spring 32 (Figure 3) extending from the shaft 26 to the side plate 1'. In this position, lower surfaces of the elements 25A, 25B (including a surface 33 of element 25A) enable sheets to pass to and from under the diverter 25.
The diverter 25 is moveable under the control of a solenoid 34 mounted to the side plate 1 to a second position 25' shown in phantom in Figure 1. A plunger 35 of the solenoid 34 is pivoted to a link 36 which in turn is connected to a radius arm 37 non-rotatably mounted to the shaft 26 as shown in Figure 4. The solenoid 34 is connected by control wires 38 to a switch 39 controlled by the microcomputer 31. A DC supply 40 is connected to opposite terminals of the switch 39 and the switch 39 is operable to cause the solenoid 34 to be selectively energised. Energisation of the solenoid 34 will cause the plunger 35 to be drawn into the solenoid thus causing the shaft 26 to rotate in a clockwise direction, as seen in Figures 1 and 4, so that the diverter elements 25A, 25B will move to the position shown at 25' at Figure 1.
In this second position 25', sheets fed along the first path by the first transport system are guided along upper surfaces 41A, 41B of the elements 25A, 25B into the second feed system downstream of the stacking station 24.
A guide plate 50 extends from the nips between the drive rollers 6 and idler rollers 4 to the rollers 16.
In use, sheets are fed singly or in small stacks into a feed path 104 via the inlet opening 105. The sheets pass under the validator 90 which generates a signal (V) depending upon the result of the validation.
The sheet(s) are fed into nips 27 between corresponding pairs of idler rollers 4, 5. These sheets are carried between the belts 2, 3 under the control of the motor Ml into the stacking station 24. Previously assembled sheets are held stationary between the belts 9, 11 in a stack 28 at a known (escrow) position relatively to a point 29 at the trailing end of the stacking station.
Figure 2 illustrates a flow diagram of a computer program for controlling the microprocessor if a fit sheet is fed and reference should be made to this flow diagram in the following description of the operation of the apparatus. In this description it will be assumed that
US dollar bills (with lengths of 156 mm) are fed and the transport speeds are about 200 mm/sec.
The light beam from the LED in the sensor S1 is broken as soon as a leading edge of a sheet reaches the sensor. The microprocessor detects at this stage that the sensor S1 is made and initiates a predetermined time delay (for example 300 milliseconds). After this time delay the solenoid is actuated to move the diverter 25 to its second position 25'. After a further time delay (for example 100 milliseconds) a direction flag is set to "anti-clockwise" and the motors M2, M3 actuated to cause the drive rollers 16, 14 to rotate in an anti-clockwise direction. This causes any previously stacked sheets 28 held by the third feed system to be moved from an escrow position shown in Figure 1 towards the stacking station 24.The motors M1, M2, M3 are controlled so that the stack 28 moves at the same speed as the sheet or sheets in the first sheet feed system and its movement is timed so that the sheets in the first feed system will be drawn onto the stack 28 as both stack (guided by lower surfaces of elements 25A, 25B) and sheet or sheets (guided between upper surfaces 41A, 41B and guide plate 50) pass into the portion of the second sheet system defined by the belts 9', 12 downstream of the stacking station.
As soon as a leading end of the new stack passes the sensor S2, the microprocessor will detect that the sensor S2 is made. The microprocessor then waits until the sensor S2 is clear indicating that the trailing edge of the stack has passed the sensor and is thus clear of the stacking station 24. The microprocessor then examines the direction flag and since it is set "anti-clockwise" at this stage, the microprocessor turns off the solenoid thus allowing the diverter 25 to return to its first position under spring action. Simultaneously, the motors M2, M3 are turned off and a time out (for example 200 milliseconds) is initiated to allow the diverter 25 to return to its first position.
At this stage, the direction flag is set in the opposite direction (ie. "clockwise") and the motors M2,
M3 actuated so that the second and third feed systems move the newly assembled stack to the left as shown in
Figure 1. During this movement, the diverter elements 25A, 25B are positioned so that the stack is guided by their lower surfaces and is prevented from being fed into the first feed system.
This movement will cause the stack to pass the sensor S2 again so that the sensor S2 will first be made and then cleared. At this stage, the microprocessor again looks at the direction flag, which is indicating "clockwise" movement of the second feed system, so that after a time delay of for example 170 milliseconds the motors M2, 3 are turned off. This time delay is chosen to be of a length such that the assembled stack has returned to the escrow position 28 with its leading edge at the known position relative to the point 29. The direction flag is then cleared and the process can then be repeated for a newly fed sheet or sheets.
Once all sheets have been fed through the nips 27, which may be determined for example if the sensor S1 does not detect the passage of a sheet after a suitable period, the microprocessor will control the motors M2, M3 to pass the fully assembled stack in either direction to other parts of the feeding apparatus such as a dispense outlet 30 or to a cassette 106 into which the stack is pushed by a pusher mechanism 107.
If the validator 90 detects an unfit banknote, the microcomputer 31 responds by causing only the motor M2 to be actuated to drive the rollers 16 in an anti-clockwise direction, as seen in Figure 1. The motor M3 is not actuated so that any banknotes in the stack 28 will remain in the position shown in Figure 1. Thus, the unfit note will be fed by the first feed system to the stacking station 24 and from there into the second feed system between the belts 9', 12 from where it can be fed directly to the dispense outlet 30.
Claims (7)
1. Sheet feeding apparatus comprising control means; first, second, and third feed systems, the first feed system feeding sheets to a stacking station to which a previously formed stack of sheets is fed by the third feed system whereby the control means operates the first and third feed systems to cause sheets fed by the first feed system to be assembled with the previously formed stack as that stack is fed past the stacking station, the new stack being received by the second feed system, the second and third systems being reversible to enable a stack of sheets held by the second system to be fed back past the stacking station to the third feed system; and detection means for detecting the sheets fed by the first feed system, the control means being responsive to the detection of a predetermined type of sheet to prevent the third feed system feeding a previously formed stack of sheets to the stacking station and allowing the detected sheet to be fed to the second feed system without being assembled with the previously formed stack.
2. Apparatus according to Claim 1, wherein the control means comprises drive means adapted to drive the first, second, and third feed systems independently.
3. Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the control means comprises three motors each of which drives a respective feed system.
4. Apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, further comprising moveable guide means positioned at the stacking station and controlled by the control means to move between first and second positions wherein in the second position sheets may be fed from the first and third feed systems to the second feed system while in the first position a stack of sheets may be fed by the second feed system past the stacking station to the third feed system.
5. Apparatus according to Claim 4, wherein the guide means comprises a wedge shaped member.
6. Sheet accepting apparatus incorporating sheet feeding apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, the sheet accepting apparatus including an inlet opening communicating with the first feed system and a sheet reject position communicating with the second feed system.
7. Sheet feeding apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB8728745A GB2213472A (en) | 1987-12-09 | 1987-12-09 | Sheet feeding apparatus |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB8728745A GB2213472A (en) | 1987-12-09 | 1987-12-09 | Sheet feeding apparatus |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| GB8728745D0 GB8728745D0 (en) | 1988-01-27 |
| GB2213472A true GB2213472A (en) | 1989-08-16 |
Family
ID=10628219
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB8728745A Withdrawn GB2213472A (en) | 1987-12-09 | 1987-12-09 | Sheet feeding apparatus |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| GB (1) | GB2213472A (en) |
Cited By (6)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GB2248056A (en) * | 1990-09-05 | 1992-03-25 | Pitney Bowes Inc | Processing sheets. |
| EP0517404A2 (en) * | 1991-06-04 | 1992-12-09 | AT&T GLOBAL INFORMATION SOLUTIONS INTERNATIONAL INC. | Sheet handling apparatus |
| EP0555531A1 (en) * | 1992-02-10 | 1993-08-18 | Mars, Incorporated | Cash collecting station |
| US5335484A (en) * | 1991-06-04 | 1994-08-09 | Ncr Corporation | Sheet handling apparatus |
| EP0644512A2 (en) * | 1993-09-17 | 1995-03-22 | Logitron S.R.L. | Intermediate sheet storage means |
| EP1638056A1 (en) * | 2004-09-15 | 2006-03-22 | NCR International, Inc. | Document diverter apparatus for use in a self-service terminal |
-
1987
- 1987-12-09 GB GB8728745A patent/GB2213472A/en not_active Withdrawn
Cited By (10)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GB2248056A (en) * | 1990-09-05 | 1992-03-25 | Pitney Bowes Inc | Processing sheets. |
| GB2248056B (en) * | 1990-09-05 | 1994-08-03 | Pitney Bowes Inc | Sheet processing apparatus |
| EP0517404A2 (en) * | 1991-06-04 | 1992-12-09 | AT&T GLOBAL INFORMATION SOLUTIONS INTERNATIONAL INC. | Sheet handling apparatus |
| EP0517404A3 (en) * | 1991-06-04 | 1993-02-24 | Ncr International Inc. | Sheet handling apparatus |
| US5335484A (en) * | 1991-06-04 | 1994-08-09 | Ncr Corporation | Sheet handling apparatus |
| EP0555531A1 (en) * | 1992-02-10 | 1993-08-18 | Mars, Incorporated | Cash collecting station |
| EP0644512A2 (en) * | 1993-09-17 | 1995-03-22 | Logitron S.R.L. | Intermediate sheet storage means |
| EP0644512A3 (en) * | 1993-09-17 | 1995-12-20 | Logitron Srl | Intermediate sheet storage means. |
| EP1638056A1 (en) * | 2004-09-15 | 2006-03-22 | NCR International, Inc. | Document diverter apparatus for use in a self-service terminal |
| US7051928B2 (en) | 2004-09-15 | 2006-05-30 | Ncr Corporation | Document diverter apparatus for use in a self-service terminal |
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| GB8728745D0 (en) | 1988-01-27 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| WAP | Application withdrawn, taken to be withdrawn or refused ** after publication under section 16(1) |