GB2487201A

GB2487201A - Cash security and marking apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2487201A
Application number: GB201100464A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Tudor Gwyn Jones; Simon Nicholas Thelwell
Original assignee: S & T Systems Ltd
Current assignee: S & T Systems Ltd
Priority date: 2011-01-12
Filing date: 2011-01-12
Publication date: 2012-07-18
Anticipated expiration: 2031-01-12
Also published as: WO2012095663A1; GB201100464D0; GB2487201B

Abstract

A security apparatus is provided for protecting an article such as a bundle of banknotes from being stolen. The security apparatus comprises: liquid dispensing means including: a vessel 42 containing a liquid to be dispensed; a dispenser 44 that can be triggered to dispense liquid from the vessel 42 and project it; and a control system 32 for activation of the dispenser 44. The control system 32 includes a detector 22 that can detect the proximity of a person to the apparatus. The control system 32 has a "disarmed" and an "armed" state, and further includes a switching means operative remotely to switch between states. In the armed state, the control system 32 is operative to send a trigger signal to the dispenser 44 in the event that the detector 22 detects the proximity of a person to the apparatus, and the dispenser is triggered upon removal of the protected article from a predetermined location.

Description

Protection of articles against theft This invention relates to the protection of cash against theft. In particular, it relates to apparatus that can mark cash and a person attempting to steal the cash in a manner that allows the cash, the thief, or both to be traced after a theft has taken place.

Businesses that deal with cash are under constant risk of attack and theft. While the risk of this occurring can be reduced by installing security screens and other devices normally associated with banks and post offices, these measures are disliked by customers of other businesses, in which face-to-face interaction between customers and staff is valued.

Therefore, there has been a demand for systems that can act as a sufficiently strong deterrent to prospective thieves as to allow cash to be handled in an open environment.

One approach to deterring theft is to provide systems that operate to render cash worthless in the event of its being stolen. This can be achieved by physically marking or damaging the cash such that it is evident that it has been stolen. For example, the cash may be covered with dye, glue or a combination of substances. It is particularly advantageous if the cash is marked in such a way that its source can be identified if it is later recovered. To this end, systems may mark cash with a liquid that has a uniquely indefinable constituent.

In GB-A-2 319 337 there is disclosed a liquid composition for applying to objects or to a person as a tracer or identifier. GB-A-2 385 853 extends this by providing a means by which a unique DNA sequence can be created. This sequence can be incorporated within the composition of GB-A-2 319 337 to produce a marker that can be virtually guaranteed to be unique and which can subsequently be positively identified.

Detection of such marker compositions upon a person can be used to imply that the person has been in a particular place or in contact with particular goods. This can be done with sufficient certainty to be used as evidence in court proceedings.

It is known to provide installations that will dispense a marker liquid upon activation of an intruder alarm whereby goods protected by the alarm, the person who triggered the alarm (or both) are marked by the marker liquid. Making the existence of such installations clearly apparent, for example by using warning notices, has been found to act as a strong deterrent to theft. However, such installations are costly, and this inhibits their use in situations where the risk of theft is transient -for example, in places where deliveries or collections of cash or valuables are made from time to time.

An aim of this invention is to provide apparatus for dispensing a marker liquid that can be deployed to protect cash that is being handled in an open environment.

To this end, the present invention provides security apparatus comprising apparatus for dispensing a liquid comprising: a vessel for containing a liquid to be dispensed, a dispenser that can be triggered to dispense liquid from the vessel and to project it; a control system for activation of the dispenser, the control system including a detector that can detect the proximity of a person to the apparatus, the control system having a "disarmed" and an "armed" state; switching means operative remotely to set the control system to its armed or to its disarmed state; and triggering means operative to operate the switching means: wherein, in the armed state, the control system is operative to trigger the dispenser in the event that the detector detects the proximity of a person to the apparatus, and the triggering means is activated upon removal of a protected article from a predetermined location.

During normal use, the apparatus is maintained in the disarmed state. However, if, during an attack, the protected article is removed, this operates the switching means to cause the apparatus to switch to the armed state, so that it causes the liquid to be sprayed from the apparatus when a person has entered a field of detection of the detector.

The switching means may include a receiver and the triggering means may include a compatible transmitter. For example, they may operate using radio-frequency signals.

Typically, the transmitter will be fixed to a location, such as the inside of a cash till, and will be triggered when the protected article is removed from the cash till.

The protected article typically is or has the appearance of something that is likely to be attractive to a robber. For example, it may have the appearance of a bundle of cash (although it is more preferable for it to be a dummy bundle of cash than actual cash).

The apparatus may additionally include manually operable triggering means. This allows it to be armed manually, when it becomes apparent that a robbery is likely to take place.

In addition to the dispensing unit, the triggering means may also activate other apparatus, such as surveillance equipment or location monitoring equipment associated with the protected article.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described in detail, by way of example, and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figures 1 and 2 are front and side views of a dispensing unit, being a component of apparatus embodying the invention; Figure 3 is a diagrammatic view of the internal components of the dispensing unit of Figures 1 and 2; Figure 4 shows a triggering unit being a component of apparatus embodying the invention; and Figure 5 shows a cross-section of a triggering strip being a component of the triggering unit of Figure 4.

This embodiment provides security apparatus for protecting cash within a cash till. Its aim is to ensure that any person who attempts to rob cash from the cash till is marked with a marking liquid so that they can subsequently be identified.

The apparatus comprises a dispensing unit. The dispensing unit may be intended to be permanently mounted within a building or it may be portable, whichever is more convenient for a particular application. The embodiment described below is portable, but can be mounted upon a bracket that is permanently installed in a building.

With reference to Figures 1 and 2, the dispensing unit that has a metal case 10 that is of size and shape that can be readily carried. The case 10 is shaped as a cuboid, with front, rear, side bottom and top walls. A carrying handle 12 is secured to the top wall to enable an operator to readily carry the unit to a place where it is to be used.

On the front panel there is carried a liquid dispensing nozzle 20, a passive infra-red proximity sensor 22 and an optional status LED 24. The sensor 22 has an output that changes state when a person enters within a field of sensitivity of the sensor. A charging connector 30 is mounted on the top panel, so that it can be accessed when several of the units are positioned close together on a flat surface. An external battery charge indicator may also be provided.

Within the case 10, as shown in Figure 3, the unit further comprises a control module 32 that controls aspects of operation of the unit. Rechargeable cells 34 within the case 10 provide electrical power to the control module 32 all other electrical components of the unit. A radio frequency (RF) receiver 36 is provided within the case 10, optionally with an external antenna 38. An output of the RF receiver 36 is connected to the control module 32. The RF receiver applies a signal to that output in the event that it receives an RF signal from an associated RF transmitter, which, in this case, is a component of a triggering unit, which will be described below. The RF receiver 36 and transmitter are coded to one another to prevent accidental arming or disarming. (Infra-red remote control could be used instead, but has the disadvantage of requiring a clear line-of-sight between the transmitter and the receiver.) One or more magnetically operated switches 40 are located within the case close to one or more of the side walls and the rear wall of the case 10, and are connected to the control module 32. The output of the sensor 22 is also connected to the control module 32.

A vessel 42 that contains a volume of a marker liquid is contained within the case 10. In this embodiment, the marker liquid contains an ultra-violet fluorescent dye that is invisible in normal light and a quantity of synthetic DNA. The vessel carries a dispenser 44 that can be triggered by an electrical signal. Upon receiving such a signal, the dispenser 44 activates a charge that causes gas to be evolved within the vessel 42. The consequent increase of pressure within the vessel 42 causes the marker liquid to be driven from it into a delivery tube, and then to the nozzle 20 from which it is delivered in a spray of small liquid droplets.

The vessel 42 and dispenser 44 may be obtained as a unit, pre-filled wfth the marker liquid.

This can be replaced readily in the event that the unit is triggered and the liquid dispensed.

It should be understood that the layout shown in Figure 3 is entirely diagrammatic, and does not represent the actual disposition of components within the case 10. This will vary significantly from one embodiment to another.

The case 10 of this embodiment is used in association wfth a bracket 50 that is permanently located at a site that is to be protected. The bracket 50 will typically be secured to a wall or door frame at around head height. The bracket 50 provides a platform upon which the unit can be placed to direct its sensor 22 and nozzle 20 into a pathway that is likely to be followed by an attacker making an entrance or an escape. The bracket 50 has magnets that can hold the case 10 in place on the bracket, and allow its ready removal when it is no longer required.

When the unit is mounted on the bracket 50, the magnetic switch 40 detects the presence of the magnets. (As a potentially less-costly alternative to magnetic switches, one or more mechanically operated switch may be used which are activated when the case 10 is mounted on the bracket 50. However, this will typically require an aperture in the case for an actuator of each switch, which may be considered to be disadvantageous.) For embodiments that are intended to be permanently installed, the dispensing unit may be permanently connected to a mains electrical supply. The rechargeable cells 34 may be omitted or provided in a reduced size sufficient just to provide a backup supply in the event of failure of the mains supply.

The apparatus further includes a triggering unit. As discussed above, the triggering unit includes a radio-frequency transmitter 60 that can be operated to send a signal to the RF receiver 36 within the dispensing unit to arm the dispensing unit.

The RE transmitter 60 is secured within a till that contains cash that is to be protected. A triggering strip 62 extends from the RE transmitter 60 to a dummy cash bundle 64. The dummy cash bundle 64 has the appearance of a bundle of cash when placed within a till, but in fact comprises a bundle of worthless paper. The function of the triggering strip 62 is to activate the RF transmitter 60 in the event that the dummy cash bundle 64 is removed from the cash till. If this happens, the triggering strip is pulled from the RE transmitter 60 as the dummy cash bundle 64 is removed.

In this embodiment, the triggering strip 62 comprises an elongate laminated structure. The laminated structure comprises two layers 64 of conductive material -copper in this case, that are separated by and covered on their outer surfaces by, layers of insulating material 66.

Within the RE transmitter 60, a circuit board 70 carries a terminal 72 and a contact 74. The contact 74 is resilient and biased towards the terminal 72. The transmitter 60 is activated when the terminal 72 and the contact 74 touch or are otherwise interconnected electrically.

In normal use, one of the insulating layers 66 is disposed between the terminal 72 and the contact 74, so keeping them separated. However, if the dummy cash bundle is removed from the till, the insulating layer 66 is withdrawn from between the terminal 72 and the contact 74.

The contact 74 then springs against the terminal 72, so forming an electrical connection between them, and thereby activating the RE transmitter 60.

Each of the conductive layers 64 of the triggering strip 62 is connected to a respective one of the terminal 72 and the contact 74. If an attempt is made to cut the triggering strip 62 with a metal blade, an electrical connection is made between the conductive layers 64, and this also triggers the RE transmitter 60.

Operation of the security apparatus will now be described.

In the case of a portable dispensing unit, it is free-standing, remote from the bracket 50, the magnetic switches 40 isolate power from the other components of the unit, thereby placing the dispensing unit in an "off" state.

Once the unit has been mounted on a bracket 50, the state of at least one of the magnetic switches 40 changes, and the unit enters an "on" state. This applies power to the control module 32. The unit then enters a "disarmed" state, in which the control module 32 monitors the output of the RE receiver 36. In the large majority of cases, the next event will be that the unit is removed from the bracket 50, the magnetic switches revert, and the unit is returned to the "off' state.

A fixed dispensing unit will typically be maintained permanently in the "on" state.

If, while the unit is on and disarmed, the dummy cash bundle is removed from the till, the RF transmitter 60 is activated. This causes the RE receiver 36 to send a signal to the control module 32. The control module 32 then causes the unit to enter an "armed" state, in which it monitors the output from the sensor 22. In the armed state, in the event that the control module 22 detects a signal on the output from the sensor 22 to indicate that a person has entered it field of sensitivity, the control module 32 sends a triggering electrical signal to the dispenser 44, thereby causing the marker liquid to be ejected from the nozzle 20 to be deposited upon the person that was detected by the sensor 22. Depending upon the application of the unit, the dispenser 44 may be configured to dispense all of the liquid at once when first triggered, or in multiple shots in response to multiple signals received from the sensor 22 as several people pass into its field of sensitivity.

The control module 32 operates the status LED 24 to give a visual indication of the state of the unit. The LED 24 will be extinguished when the unit is off, green when on but disarmed, and red when armed.

It must be understood that this embodiment has three distinct states of operation. These will be described with reference to a typical instance of use of the unit: during collection of cash from a bank by couriers.

It can be "off" in order to completely inhibit discharge of the marking liquid. This prevents accidental (and potentially hazardous) discharge as might, for example, happen were the RF transmitter to be accidentally operated while the unit is being transported to the place from which cash will be collected.

During its normal use, it is positioned to be capable of dispensing its marker liquid. For example, this may be on a bracket secured to a wall of a bank entrance hallway. It is then "on" but "disarmed". In this state, the liquid will not be dispensed even if the sensor 22 is triggered, so allowing legitimate customers to pass into and out of the bank.

If, during an attempted robbery, the dummy cash bundle is removed from a cash till, the RF transmitter is triggered, so placing the unit in the armed state. (Normally, the dummy bundle will be removed along with one or more bundles of real cash.) This may also be achieved by manual operation of a suitable RF transmitter. If this can be done before the attackers enter the bank, activation of the unit and marking of the attackers may act as a sufficient deterrent to cause the attack to be aborted. Otherwise, the attackers will be marked as they attempt to leave the bank.

Since the unit is intended to be armed only in the event of an attack taking place, in this embodiment arming is irreversible. This is to prevent a staff member being forced, under duress from an attacker, to disarm the unit. An alternative is to allow the unit to be disarmed only under specific circumstances -for example, after a predetermined delay has passed.

The particular arrangement adopted will depend upon the particular circumstances in which the unit is to be used and the preferences of the user.

The control module may also be operable in a test mode. In the test mode, the unit can be in the "off", "on", "disarmed", "armed" and "triggered" states as described above. However, instead of triggering the dispenser, the triggering signal is sent to a sounder. In this way, the unit can be tested without dispensing the liquid -operation of the sounder indicating that, in actual operation, the liquid would be dispensed.

Activation of the RF transmitter 60 may cause additional events to occur. For example, it may activate video recording apparatus to record events that occur after the cash bundle is removed from the till. A tracking device located within the dummy cash bundle may also be activated, to allow the whereabouts of the dummy cash bundle to be removed.

Claims

Claims 1. Security apparatus comprising apparatus for dispensing a liquid comprising: a vessel for containing a liquid to be dispensed, a dispenser that can be triggered to dispense liquid from the vessel and to project it; a control system for activation of the dispenser, the control system including a detector that can detect the proximity of a person to the apparatus, the control system having a "disarmed" and an "armed" state; switching means operative remotely to set the control system to its armed or to its disarmed state; characterised by triggering means operative to operate the switching means: wherein, in the armed state, the control system is operative to trigger the dispenser in the event that ("ti the detector detects the proximity of a person to the apparatus, and the triggering means is activated upon removal of a protected article from a predetermined location. o'5
2. Security apparatus according to claim 1 in which the switching means includes a receiver and the triggering means includes a transmitter compatible with the receiver.
3. Security apparatus according to claim 2 in which the receiver and the transmitter operate using radio-frequency signals.
4. Security apparatus according to claim 2 or claim 3 in which the transmitter is fixed to a location to be triggered when the protected article is removed from the location.
5. Security apparatus according to any preceding claim in which the protected article is or has the appearance of something that is likely to be attractive to a robber.
6. Security apparatus according to claim 5 in which the protected article has the appearance of a bundle of banknotes.
7. Security apparatus according to any preceding claim that additionally includes manually operable triggering means.
8. Security apparatus according to any preceding claim, in which, in addition to the dispensing unit, the triggering means is also configured to activate other apparatus, such as surveillance equipment or location monitoring equipment associated with the protected article.
9. Security apparatus substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.
10. A method of operating security apparatus according to any preceding claim, in which, during normal use, the apparatus is maintained in the disarmed state; and if the protected article is removed, this operates the switching means to cause the apparatus to switch to the armed state, so that it causes the liquid to be sprayed from the apparatus when a person has entered a field of detection of the detector. r r