GB2373241A

GB2373241A - Stacking wheel assembly

Info

Publication number: GB2373241A
Application number: GB0106599A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Colin Peter Brotherston; Gareth John Chaffer; Martin Lane
Original assignee: De la Rue International Ltd
Current assignee: De la Rue International Ltd
Priority date: 2001-03-16
Filing date: 2001-03-16
Publication date: 2002-09-18
Also published as: GB0106599D0

Abstract

A stacking wheel assembly comprises a rotatably mounted stacking wheel (8) having a number of radially outwardly extending slots (17) for receiving sheets to be stacked. A stripper member (16) cooperates with the stacking wheel (8) so as to engage a radially inner edge of a sheet in a slot (17) upon rotation of the stacking wheel so as to cause the sheet to be pushed out of the slot due to its engagement with the stripper member whereupon the sheet can fall towards a stacking location defined at least in part by a wall (14) transverse to the tangential direction of movement of the sheet as it leaves the slot. The stripper member (16) is shaped and/or located to define a step (15) extending generally in the said tangential direction such that on leaving the slot (17), the said inner edge of the sheet can fall towards the stacking location without contacting the stacking location wall.

Description

STACKING WHEEL ASSEMBLY

The invention relates to a stacking wheel assembly of the kind comprising a rotatably mounted stacking wheel having a number of radially outwardly extending slots for receiving sheets to be stacked; and a stripper member cooperating with the stacking wheel so as to engage a radially inner edge of a sheet in a slot upon rotation of the stacking wheel so as to cause the sheet to be pushed out of the slot due to its engagement with the stripper member whereupon the sheet can fall towards a stacking location defined at least in part by a wall transverse to the tangential direction of movement of the sheet as it leaves the slot. Such assemblies are herein after referred to as of the kind described.

Stacking wheel assemblies of the kind described are frequently used in document sorters, acceptors, dispensers and the like so as to provide a neat stack of documents at the stacking location. For example, as shown in Figure 1, banknote sorting machines generally consist of a feeder 1 from which notes are input into the machine, a transport system shown generally at 2 to move the notes, a detection system 3 to identify features on the notes, diverting systems 4 which can direct notes to selected destinations and stacking systems 5 to collate the notes into neat stacks at each destination. The destinations to which the notes are sorted are called output pockets.

At a typical output station (Figure 2) a stacking wheel 8 comprises a number of slots 7 equally distributed in a disk or cylinder. The slots are arranged in a spiral pattern. Banknotes 6 are fed into the slots 7 in the stacker wheel 8 at a rate that causes successive slots to be presented to the note injection point at the same rate as the banknotes are presented. Thus each banknote is fed into a respective slot.

The banknote travels along the slot and is arrested by a stripper plate 9. Ideally the banknote will not bounce

and its front edge will slide down the surface of the stripper plate. While the front end of the note is still in the stacker wheel slot, the front edge of the note is forced down the stripper plate by the rotation of the stacker wheel slot.

When the front edge of the note is released from the slot at point 10, the note will fall under the action of gravity on to a base 11 of the output pocket or onto the top of a note stack 12.

As the note is extremely light in relation to its horizontal surface area, the falling motion is easily arrested by the edges of the note rubbing against any of the surfaces of the output pocket. The surfaces against which the note may rub are the back plate 13 and the lower part 14 of the stripper plate forming a front wall of the stacking location. This can cause the note to be drawn towards the guide surface, fail to land flat on the stacking platform or top of previously stacked notes, and prevent the formation of a neat stack.

Generally the back plate is positioned some distance away from the position of the notes which allows the back surface of the note to fall freely without rubbing.

However the action of the rotation of the stripper wheel 8 ensures that the front edge of the note is pushed against the stripper plate part 14.

Conventionally stripper plates 9 have been designed as a continuous surface. Often the surface has a bend at the point 10 where the note leaves the stripper wheel. However the surface may be straight as shown in Figure 3 or curved as shown in Figure 4.

In accordance with the present invention, a stacking wheel of the kind described is characterised in that the stripper member is shaped and/or located to define a step extending generally in the said tangential direction such that on leaving the slot, the said inner edge of the sheet can fall towards the stacking location without contacting the stacking location wall.

We have realised that by suitably shaping or locating the stripper member so as to define a step, it is possible to stack sheets without the leading end of the sheet contacting the stacking location wall. This then overcomes the problems mentioned above.

In some cases, the stripper member is coupled to, and preferably integrally formed with, the stacking location wall. This simplifies manufacture. However, in other examples, the stripper member is not directly coupled to the stacking location wall and may, for example, be suspended from a position above the stacking location. It could, of course, be supported in other ways if necessary.

An advantage of this is that the position of the stripper member can be adjusted as required, for example to adjust the location of the stack which is formed.

Adjustment may most conveniently be achieved if the stripper member is suspended from a position generally coaxial with the stacking wheel.

In some cases, a single stacking wheel and stripper member will be provided but in others, two or more stacking wheels and interleaved stripper members may be used. This will typically be where the sheets have a long dimension transverse to their feed direction.

The assembly may be used in a wide variety of sheet handling apparatus including document sorters, counters, dispensers, validators and recirculators. It is particularly suitable for apparatus adapted to handle documents of value and security documents such as banknotes.

Some examples of stacking wheel assemblies according to the invention will now be described and contrasted with known examples with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which : Figure 1 is a front view of a conventional sorting machine; Figure 2 is a schematic cross-section through an output pocket of the machine shown in Figure 1;

Figures 3 and 4 illustrate two further known stacking wheel arrangements ; Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 2 but of a first example according to the invention; Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 5 but of a second example; and, Figure 7 is a plan view of the assembly shown in Figure 6.

In Figures 5 to 7, those elements which are the same as in Figure 2 have been given the same reference numerals.

In the Figure 5 example, a stripper member 16 is integrally formed with the wall 14 and defines a step 15 at its lower end. As can be seen therefore as the stacking wheel 8 rotates in a clockwise direction, the leading end of each note 6 will engage the stripper member 16 so that the note will be pushed out of the appropriate slot 17 and drop down onto the stack 12. It will be noted that the banknote 6 will fall freely onto the stack 12, there being no contact between its leading end and the wall 14.

Figure 6 shows a second example in which a stripper plate 161 is suspended about an axle 18 of the stacking wheel 8, its angular orientation being adjustable about the axle 18 and the plate being fixed at the desired angular orientation by an adjustment arm hinged at one end on a bracket 20 forming part of the plate 16', the adjustment arm having at its opposite end a slotted bracket 21 which is adjustably attached to an adjacent fixed part (not shown) of the body of the machine by a threaded stud 22 passing through the slot, and a wing nut on the threaded stud. The wing nut is used to clamp the bracket, and hence the plate 16', in the desired position.

As shown in Figure 7, the Figure 6 example in fact includes three stacking wheels 8, each mounted nonrotatably to the axle 18 which in turn is driven by a motor (not shown).

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A stacking wheel assembly comprising a rotatably mounted stacking wheel having a number of radially outwardly extending slots for receiving sheets to be stacked; and a stripper member cooperating with the stacking wheel so as to engage a radially inner edge of a sheet in a slot upon rotation of the stacking wheel so as to cause the sheet to be pushed out of the slot due to its engagement with the stripper member whereupon the sheet can fall towards a stacking location defined at least in part by a wall transverse to the tangential direction of movement of the sheet as it leaves the slot characterized in that the stripper member is shaped and/or located to define a step extending generally in the said tangential direction such that on leaving the slot, the said inner edge of the sheet can fall towards the stacking location without contacting the stacking location wall.
2. An assembly according to claim 1, wherein the step is substantially parallel to the said tangential direction.
3. An assembly according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the stripper member is coupled to the stacking location wall.
4. An assembly according to claim 3, wherein the stripper member is integrally formed with the stacking location wall.
5. An assembly according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the stripper member is not directly coupled to the stacking location wall.
6. An assembly according to claim 5, wherein the stripper member is suspended from a position above the stacking location.
7. An assembly according to claim 6, wherein the stripper member is suspended from a position generally coaxial with the stacking wheel.
8. An assembly according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the stripper member position is adjustable relative to the stacking wheel.
9. An assembly according to claim 8, when dependent on claim 7, wherein the stripper member is rotatable about the axis of the stacking wheel.
10. A stacking wheel assembly substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to either of the examples shown in Figures 5 and 6 of the accompanying drawings.
11. Sheet handling apparatus including at least one stacking wheel assembly according to any of the preceding claims.
12. Sheet handling apparatus according to claim 11, the apparatus comprising one of a sorter, counter, dispenser, validator and recirculator.