WO2016091390A1

WO2016091390A1 - Apparatus for sorting transport containers having items of value

Info

Publication number: WO2016091390A1
Application number: PCT/EP2015/002497
Authority: WO
Inventors: Michael Stapfer
Original assignee: Giesecke & Devrient Gmbh
Priority date: 2014-12-12
Filing date: 2015-12-11
Publication date: 2016-06-16
Also published as: DE102014018526A1; EP3230964A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for sorting transport containers having items of value, in particular for sorting safe bags. Arranged along the movement path of the transport containers is a metal detector for checking each of the transport containers moved along the movement path for the presence of foreign metal bodies. Arranged downstream of the metal detector is a diverter at which the movement path splits into at least two branches. A control device controls the diverter depending on whether the particular transport container contains foreign metal bodies, specifically such that, if the particular transport container does not contain any foreign metal bodies, it is directed into a first of the branches, and if it contains one or more foreign metal bodies, it is directed into a second of the branches.

Description

Device for sorting transport containers with valuables

The present invention relates to a device for sorting transport containers containing valuables. The valuables are in particular sheet-shaped value documents, e.g. Banknotes, checks, tickets, etc. and possibly also coins.

As transport containers, e.g. Safebags used. These are generally designed as completely enclosed, bag-shaped disposable containers, preferably made of a plastic film. In such transport containers, valuables, e.g. Banknotes or other valuable documents, but often also coins, transported from a supplier or depositor to a bank or cash center. The opening of such a safebag at a receiving point is currently usually carried out manually, for example by means of a pair of scissors or a knife. After opening the transport container, the valuables contained therein are removed manually. Alternatively, the safebags can also be opened and emptied automatically.

The valuables are removed from the Safebag and then further processed by means of a value document processing device, such as a banknote processing machine, for example, with regard to their authenticity, circulation capability and / or denomination checked.

However, some safebags not only contain value documents, such as banknotes, but also coins or other metallic foreign objects, such as paper clips. The coins may for example be attached to a banknote, for example by means of a paper clip or glued. If a banknote, which Having such a metallic foreign body, enters a banknote processing machine, it can cause damage to the Vereinzeier and the further transport system there. For this reason, it has hitherto been customary for the sachets to be precisely inspected during opening in order to detect whether metallic foreign objects, such as coins, are contained therein. This is time-consuming and it can also happen that foreign bodies are overlooked.

Object of the present invention is therefore to propose a method and an apparatus in which the processing of such transport containers is accelerated.

This object is achieved by a method and a device having the features of the independent claims. Advantageous embodiments and further developments are specified in the further dependent claims.

The transport containers with the valuables are fed by an operator (or also automatically) to a device for sorting the transport container. The feeding of the transport container to the device takes place e.g. in that the transport container is inserted by an operator into an input of the device or is deposited on a transport device which transports the transport container through the device.

The sorting apparatus has a movement path along which the supplied transport containers can be moved through the apparatus. The movement can take place actively, with the aid of a conveying device or else a passive movement of the transport container under be the influence of gravity (without a conveyor that actively moves the transport containers).

In the device, a metal detector is arranged along the movement path / which is designed to check the transport containers moved along the movement path in each case for the presence of metallic foreign bodies. The device has a switch which is arranged along the movement path after the metal detector, and at which the movement path branches into at least two branches. In addition, the apparatus includes a controller communicatively (e.g., electronically) connected to the metal detector and to the switch.

The metal detector is configured to send to each of the transport containers information about it to the control device, whether the respective transport container (one or more) has metallic foreign body or not. For example, the metal detector sends to each of the transport containers individually a signal to the control device, where the control device detects whether the respective transport container (one or more) has metallic foreign body or not. The signal may be sent by wire or wireless (e.g., radio signal).

The control device is designed to control the switch for the respective transport container depending on whether the respective transport container (one or more) contains metallic foreign bodies in such a way that the respective transport container, if it does not contain a metallic foreign body, into a first of the branches is deflected and, if it contains (one or more) metallic foreign body is directed into a second of the branches. The movement path may be formed as a free-fall path along which the transport containers fall due to their gravity (no conveyor required). In order to maintain the correct (eg vertical) orientation of the transport containers in which the transport containers are fed to the apparatus, lateral guide elements can be arranged along the free-fall path.

However, the movement path can also be formed as an inclined plane along which the transport containers move by their gravity (no conveyor required), e.g. slide or slide. To achieve a low-friction movement, rollers may also be included in the inclined plane, e.g. free-running rollers or braked rollers that are set in rotation by the respective transport container. However, the movement path can also be designed as a conveyor line along which the transport containers are transported by means of a (driven) conveyor. The apparatus may for this purpose comprise one or more conveyors, e.g. one or more conveyors or driven transport rollers.

The device for processing the transport container may have a housing which completely or partially surrounds the essential components of the device, in particular the metal detector and the switch, possibly also the transport container conveyor. The housing may be provided with an input at which the transport containers are fed to the device. This can be an input opening into which the transport containers (manual or automatic) are inserted or inserted. Alternatively, the transport containers can also be stored directly on the conveyor (manual or automatic), if no housing available or the conveyor is at least partially disposed outside of the housing. The housing may also include one or more dispensing openings through which the transport containers pass out of the device into the dispenser, for example through which the transport containers may fall from the device into the dispensers.

The device may include one or more dispensers disposed respectively at the end of one of the branches into which the path of travel at the diverter branches. The output devices may be part of the device or else part of a system surrounding the device. Depending on whether the respective transport container have metallic foreign bodies, the device sorts the respective transport container either into one or the other output device. Preferably, the dispensing means are designed as receptacles for the transport containers which fall out of the device. The transport containers are automatically collected by one of the collecting container, which is arranged at the end of the respective branch. The collecting container (s) may, for example, be arranged on a collecting container transporting device running under the housing, which transports the collecting containers with the transport containers (sorted in the first branch, metal-free) to a device for automatically opening the transport containers.

The device may comprise a mechanical braking device, which is arranged in front of the metal detector, and which is designed to influence the distance between two successive transport containers, for example, to increase at least a predetermined minimum time interval. The braking device can by the control device for braking the respective transport container (the one preceding Transport container follows) on the basis of the presence of the previous transport container, which receives the control device from a transport monitoring device. The braking device can be a kind of turnstile or a rake that can be moved into the movement path, which temporarily stops the respective transport container and releases the respective transport container for further transport, if at least a predetermined minimum time has elapsed since the further transport of the preceding transport container turnout time).

The braking device can also be a roller pair arranged on both sides of the movement path, which forces a transport container, which is clamped between the two rollers of the roller pair, at a reduced speed of movement as it moves through the metal detector. The pair of rollers can rotate along the direction of movement of the transport container and produce a frictional connection to the respective transport container. If necessary, while a transport container is being clamped therebetween, the rotation of the roller pair may be slowed down or stopped for a short time, e.g. to increase the distance between the respective transport container and the preceding transport container.

Alternatively, the pair of rollers can also rotate counter to the direction of movement of the transport containers in order to decelerate the respective transport container in opposition to its direction of movement (by means of sliding friction between the transport container and the pair of rollers). The leading to braking rotation can be turned on by the controller, for example, if the respective transport container has too small a distance from the preceding transport container. The distance between the metal detector and the switch along the path of movement is chosen to be at least so large that, taking into account the speed with which the transport container moves along the path of movement, the switch for the respective transport container can be switched over in time so that it can move in another of the two branches can be steered as the transport container preceding the respective transport container, which was supplied to the device in front of the respective transport container. The switch is located far enough away from the metal detector that the time taken for a transport container to move along the path of travel for the distance between the metal detector and the switch is at least the switch point required to switch over the switch. In particular, the time interval between the time at which the rear edge of the transport container leaves the metal detector and the time at which the front edge of the container arrives at the switch, at least the switch point required for switching the switch. In the event that the movement path between the metal detector and the switch is a free-fall path, the distance between the metal detector and the switch is preferably at least 50 cm. In the case of a lower speed of movement (eg in a conveyor line or an inclined plane), the distance between the metal detector and the switch can be selected correspondingly lower. Preferably, the device has at least one transport monitoring device (eg light barrier or ultrasonic detector), which is arranged along the path of movement of the transport container in front of the switch. By the transport monitoring device, the arrival of the front and / or rear edge of the transport container at the jewei- be monitored ligen transport monitoring device. The respective transport monitoring device is connected to the control device, and sends for each of the transport containers to the control device presence information, from which the control device can see when the front and / or back edge of the respective transport container arrives at the on the transport monitoring device.

Along the path of movement, the transport monitoring device can be arranged before or after the metal detector. However, the transport monitoring device is preferably arranged in front of the metal detector, so that the control device can detect at an early stage whether two successive transport containers are too close to each other. By an additional transport monitoring device after the switch, at the end of each branch can also be monitored whether and when the transport containers leave the device.

The device has, for example, two transport monitoring devices, one of which is arranged in front of and one behind the metal detector. The distance between the two transport monitoring devices along the path of movement is preferably selected so that the time required for the respective transport container for the route between the two transport monitoring devices is greater than the switch point time of the switch. The control device is designed to check, based on the presence information of the respective transport container (transmitted by the transport monitoring device (s)), whether the distance between two successive transport containers (between the front edge of the respective transport container and the rear edge of the preceding transport container Transport container) falls below a predetermined minimum distance required, which is required for switching the switch in the time between the two transport containers. In the case where the two successive transport containers are less than the minimum distance from each other, the control device controls the switch so that both transport containers are directed into the second branch, that is steered into the branch for the transport containers with metallic foreign bodies, so that they are sorted out , This is particularly advantageous since it is absolutely impossible for a transport container with metallic foreign bodies to reach the first branch. In this way, it is ensured that no transport container with metallic foreign bodies (even in the case of too small a distance to the preceding transport container) enters the output device for metal-free transport container and thus causes a risk of damage to a value-document processing device, in which the metal-free transport containers are processed.

In order to compare the distance between the two transport containers with the minimum distance, the control device can be used e.g. determine the time interval of the presence information that the transport monitoring device sends from the two successive transport containers, and compare this with a minimum time interval that is stored in the control device. Instead of the minimum time interval, it is also possible to use a spatial minimum distance which can be determined from the minimum time interval, taking into account the speed of movement of the transport containers (and possibly their acceleration) along the movement path.

If the (temporal or spatial) minimum distance is thus undershot, regardless of whether the preceding transport container a mes- contains metallic foreign body or not, this preceding transport container controlled in the second branch and not switched between the two transport containers, the switch, ie, sorting both transport containers in the second branch. With this type of sorting, it may happen that a transport container without metallic foreign bodies gets into the second branch and thus into the wrong output device. However, this type of incorrect sorting is unproblematic, since the sorted into the second output device transport containers are anyway reworked manually, for example, for (usually manual) separating the metallic foreign body (eg coins) from the documents of value, and possibly for counting the coins. The relevant (misdirected) transport container, which contains only documents of value but no coins, can then optionally be retrofitted to the first output device in order to also supply these documents of value to the automatic value-document processing.

In the case when the respective transport container reaches the (temporal or spatial) minimum distance to the preceding transport container or exceeds, there is a "normal" sorting, in which the switch is controlled so that the transport container, if he no metallic

Contain foreign object, is directed into the first branch and, if it contains (one or more) metallic foreign body is directed into the second branch, regardless of the sorting of the preceding transport container. In the normal sorting a switch circuit between see the two transport containers, provided that the respective transport container is assessed differently with respect to the presence of metallic foreign body than the preceding transport container. In order to be able to carry out a completely automated processing of the transport containers, for example in a cash center, it is advantageous if the transport containers can be clearly identified by the device. For this purpose, the transport container can be provided with a corresponding transport container coding, for example a bar code or a contactless readable data carrier, for example a transponder or an RFID module. To uniquely identify a transport container to be processed, the device along the movement path may have a corresponding reading device which is set up to read the transport container coding. The reading device is embodied, for example, in the form of a barcode reader or a reading device for reading out a contactless data carrier of the type described. From the transport container coding information relating to the transport container can be derived, for example via the depositor from whom the transport container originates, and possibly also via the valuables contained in the transport container.

After sorting by the apparatus, the sorted transport containers are finally removed for further processing, e.g. to a device for automatically opening the transport container. This removal can be done manually, e.g. by means of a sliding carriage, which is used as a collecting container, or automatically, by means of a collecting container transport device. The container transport means is e.g. Part of the system surrounding the device.

The invention also relates to a method for sorting transport containers for valuables by means of a device adapted for sorting transport containers for valuables. In this case, the transport containers are fed to the device, in which they are moved along a movement path. tion paths are moved through the device. The apparatus comprises a metal detector, along which the transport containers pass, and a switch, which is arranged along the path of movement after the metal detector and at which the path of movement branches into at least two branches. The transport containers moved along the movement path are checked by the metal detector for the presence of metallic foreign bodies. This sends to the tested transport containers information about it to a control device of the device, whether the respective transport container has metallic foreign body or not. The control device, which is connected to the metal detector and to the switch, controls the switch in dependence on whether the respective transport container contains metallic foreign bodies. The control of the switch is carried out so that the respective transport container, if it does not contain any metallic foreign body, is directed into a first of the branches and, if it contains (one or more) metallic foreign bodies, is directed into a second of the branches. At the end of the first branch, an output device is provided, which is then transported with the contained (metal-free) transport containers to a device for automatically opening the transport container.

The present invention will be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings. Show:

1 shows a first embodiment of a device for sorting transport containers with valuables,

FIG. 2a-b control of the switch as a function of the distance between two successive transport containers,

Figure 3 second embodiment of a device for sorting

Transport containers with valuables, FIG. 4 shows a third embodiment of a device for sorting transport containers with valuables,

Figure 5 fourth embodiment of a device for sorting

Transport containers with valuables.

The transport containers can be designed as bag-shaped disposable containers in which valuables can be transported and which are completely closed. These are referred to below as Safebags. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the device for sorting safebags 8 has a housing 9 in which a light barrier 6, a metal detector 4 and a switch 3 with switch wing 13 are arranged along the movement path T. The safebags 8, in which there are valuables 20, are fed to the device through the input port 5 of the housing and then fall through the device due to their gravitational force along the path of travel T. Depending on whether the metal detector 4 detects metallic foreign bodies in the safebag, the respective safebag 8 is sorted into the collecting container 1 or into the collecting container 2. The sorting is controlled by a control device 7 of the device, which receives corresponding signals from the metal detector 4 for the safebags 8, whether the respective safebag has metallic foreign bodies or not. If the metal detector 4 has transmitted to the control device 7 that the safebag 8 contains metallic foreign bodies, the switch 3 is switched to the left in order to steer the safebag 8 into the branch 22 to the right collecting container 2, which provides safebags 8 containing the metallic foreign bodies is. If the metal detector 4 has transmitted to the control device 7 that the safebag 8 does not contain any metallic foreign bodies, the switch 3 remains switched to the right, in order to steer the safebag 8 into the branch 21 to the left collecting container 2, which is responsible for the Safebags 8 is provided without metallic foreign body, which usually contain only banknotes.

From the signals of the light barrier 6, the control device can deduce how long the respective Safebag is when the respective Saf ebag reaches the switch 3 and how large the distance between consecutively supplied Safebags 8. In addition, the Safebags can be counted using the light barrier signal. The control device 7 can thus in each case determine the number of safebags sorted into the collecting container 1 or 2.

The distance a between the metal detector 4 and the switch 3 is dimensioned so that after detection by the metal detector 4 enough time for switching the switch 3 remains. In the switch 3, if the switch timing is about 0.05 seconds, the distance should be at least 50 centimeters in the case of the free fall travel path of FIG. As switch point time that time is considered, which is required for the transmission and evaluation of the presence of the light barrier 6 by the control device 7 and for the switching signal of the control device 7 to the switch 3 to the actual switching of the switch wing 13.

The Safebags sorted into the collecting container 1 without metallic foreign bodies are then opened and the value documents contained in the Safebag are removed manually or automatically. These value documents are then fed to a value-document processing device for further processing (eg checking and sorting according to type and / or condition and / or authenticity). The safebags sorted into the collecting container 2 with metallic foreign bodies are further processed manually, whereby the metallic foreign bodies are separated from the value documents contained in the safebag. FIG. 2 a shows two safebags 8 a, 8 b (contained value documents 20 not shown), which have been thrown successively into the input opening 5. In this example, two light barriers 6, 11 are provided, one of which is arranged in front of the other and the other after the metal detector 4. The light barriers 6, 11 register the presence of the dropped Safebags 8 and send corresponding signals to the controller 7. The controller 7 can determine based on the time of the light barrier signals when the respective safebag 8a has passed the switch 3 safely to the switch 3 in good time to switch to the next safebag 8b.

The preceding safebag 8a does not contain a metallic foreign body and has been sorted into the left branch 21 for this reason. At the time shown in FIG. 2a, the control device has already been informed by the metal detector 4 that the safebag 8b contains metallic foreign bodies (coin 12) and switches the switch 3 accordingly in order to guide the safebag 8b into the other branch 22. However, the sorting of the metal-free safebags 8a into the left branch 21 (the metal-free safebags) is only initiated by the control device 7 if the distance between the two safebags 8a and 8b is large enough. Otherwise, it could be that by mistake the safebag 8b also enters the left branch 21.

The checking of the distance between the two safebags 8a, 8b is particularly simple in the present case with the two light barriers. Because as the distance d of the two photoelectric sensors 6 and 11 just the minimum distance was selected, which is used to check the distance between the two Safebags 8a, 8b, which was determined, for example, when commissioning the device. If, between the two consecutive safebags 8a, 8b, the two light barriers at least for a short time do not detect a safebag, then follows from the fact that the distance between the two Safebags 8a, 8b is greater than the distance d between the two light barriers 6, 11, that is greater than the minimum distance, and thus large enough that the switch 3 between the two Safebags 8a and 8b safe can be switched.

Otherwise, if there is no time between two consecutive safebags 8a, 8b at which both light barriers 6, 11 do not detect a safebag (ie that either one or the other or both of the light barriers 6, 11 detect a safebag), it follows that that the distance between the two Safebags 8a, 8b is smaller than the distance d between the two light barriers, that is smaller than the minimum distance, and thus is too low to safely switch the switch 3 between the two Safebags 8a and 8b. Because at too small a distance there is the risk that the two successive Safebags 8a, 8b can not be separated safely, and that the switch 3 is damaged by a frontally striking the switch wing 13 Safebag 8b.

In Fig. 2b, the case is different from Fig. 2a. In FIG. 2b, the distance of the safebag 8b from the safebag 8a is less than the light barrier distance d. Therefore, the controller has decided that it can no longer switch the switch 3 to the right position in time, but sorts both safebags 8a, 8b into the right branch 22, although the safebag 8a does not contain any metallic foreign bodies. So the Safebag 8a is sorted wrongly, but the additional effort that results from the subsequent manual checking of Safebags 8a (although this has no metallic foreign body), but is acceptable. For it is absolutely to be ruled out that a value-document processing apparatus, to which the value documents are supplied from the metal-free safebags, must be provided with these value documents. Often metallic foreign bodies are supplied, which can damage the value document processing device.

FIG. 3 shows an embodiment in which the safebags 8 are transported along a conveying path Tb (contained value documents 20 not shown). From an input container 10, the safebags are automatically transferred one after the other to a conveyor belt 14, which transfers the safebags 8 to a second conveyor belt 15. Alternatively, the safebags 8 can also be stored manually by an operator on the conveyor belt 15 one after the other, with an appropriate distance from each other. The

Conveyor belt 15 transports the Safebags past the metal detector 4, which detects whether the respective Saf ebag metallic foreign body or not. In response to the corresponding signal from the metal detector 4 to the control device 7 (not shown), it switches the switch 3 to sort the respective filter bag either into the output container 1 (for metal-free safebags) or into the output container 2 (for metal-containing safebags). In the example shown, the metal detector has detected no metallic foreign body in Saf ebag 8a, so that the switch 3 in the upper position (shown in phantom) has remained to guide the safebag 8a by means of the conveyor belt 16 in the output container 1. The Safebag 8b contains coins and is therefore sorted into the output container 2. Since the conveyor belts run relatively slowly, even with the shown (relatively small) distance between the two Safebags 8a and 8b a safe switching of the switch 3 is possible.

Fig. 4 shows an embodiment of the device in which immediately before the metal detector 4, a pair of rollers 17a, 17b is located. They both rotate along the direction of movement of safebags 8 (but opposite to each other) to decelerate safebags 8 compared to free fall. The two rollers may be provided on their surface with an elastic material, such as foam or brushes, and are so close to the path of travel T that the safebag 8 presses both elastic surfaces to create a frictional engagement between Safebag and rollers. Continuous rotation of the rollers ensures that the safebags 8 move through the metal detector 4 at a constant but slower speed. The control device 7 (not shown) can determine from the signals of the light barrier 6, whether the safebags 8 have a sufficient distance from each other and, in the case of too small a distance Safebags 8, the rotation of the roller pair 17a, 17b slow or stop until a sufficient distance to the previous Safebag is made. The delivery of the input container 10 and the insertion into the device takes place here on an upper level and the removal of the output containers 1, 2 on a lower level, eg in a cash center.

FIG. 5 shows an embodiment in which the safebags 8 are inserted individually by an operator B into the input opening 5 of the device. The operator B, who removes the safebags from the input container 10, is instructed to insert the safebags 8 with sufficient clearance, e.g. to drop the respective Safebag only when he hears that the preceding Safebag has fallen into one of the output container 1, 2. Because then can be dispensed with a monitoring of Safebagsabstands using transport monitoring devices. If necessary, of course, a photocell can be used to count the sorted safebags.

Claims

Patent claims

An apparatus for sorting transport containers for valuables supplied to the apparatus

a movement path (T) along which the supplied transport containers (8, 8a-b) can be moved through the device,

a metal detector (4), which is designed to check the transport containers (8, 8a-b) moved along the movement path, in each case for the presence of metallic foreign bodies (12),

- a switch (3), which is arranged along the path of movement after the metal detector (4), and at which the movement path branches into at least two branches (21, 22),

- A control device (7) which is connected to the metal detector (4) and with the switch (3), wherein the metal detector (4) is adapted to each of the transport container ^, 8a-b) individually information about the Control means (7) to send whether the respective transport container (8, 8a-b) has metallic foreign body or not, and wherein the control means is adapted, depending on whether the respective transport container (8, 8a-b) contains metallic foreign bodies for controlling the switch (3) for the respective transport container in such a way that the respective transport container (8, 8a-b), if it does not contain a metallic foreign body, is directed into a first of the branches (21) and if it contains metallic foreign bodies is directed into a second of the branches (22).

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the distance (a) between the metal detector (4) and the switch (3) along the movement path (T) is selected so that the time interval between the time at which the rear edge of the transport container (8, 8a-b) leaves the metal detector (4) and the time at which the front edge of the transport container (8, 8a-b) arrives at the switch, at least that for switching the switch (3) required turnout time.

3. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the movement path (T) is designed as a free-fall path through which fall through the transport container due to their gravity.

4. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the movement path (T) is formed as an inclined plane, along which move the transport container due to their gravity.

5. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the movement path (T) is designed as a conveyor line along which the transport containers by means of one or more För- dereinrichtungen (14, 15, 16) of the device are transported.

6. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the device comprises at least two output devices (1, 2), which are arranged after the switch, respectively at the end of one of the two ge.

7. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the device comprises at least one transport monitoring device (6, 11), in particular light barrier, which is arranged along the path of movement (T) of the transport container in front of the switch (3), and by which the arrival of the front and / or rear edge of the transport container to the respective transport monitoring device (6, 11) can be monitored.

8. The device according to claim 7, characterized in that the transport monitoring device (6, 11) with the control device (7) is connected and adapted to send for each of the transport containers to the control device a presence information, from which refer to the control device can, when the front and / or rear edge of the respective transport container to the respective transport monitoring device (6, 11) arrived.

9. The device according to claim 8, characterized in that the control device (7) is adapted to check on the basis of the transport monitoring device (6, 11) sent presence information of the respective transport container, whether the distance between two successive transport containers (8a, 8b) falls below a predetermined minimum distance and in the case when the two successive transport containers fall below the minimum distance from each other, the switch (3) to control so that both transport containers are directed into the second branch (22).

10. Device according to one of claims 7 to 9, characterized in that the device comprises at least two transport monitoring devices (6, 11), one of which is preferably arranged in front of the metal detector (4) and another after the metal detector (4) ,

11. The device according to claim 10, characterized in that the distance (d) between the two transport monitoring devices (6, 11) along the movement path is selected so that the time that the respective transport container for the distance between the two transport Monitoring devices required, is greater than the switch point time of the switch (3).

12. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the device comprises a mechanical braking device (17a, 17b), which is arranged in front of the metal detector (4), and which is adapted to the distance between two successive transport containers (8a-8a). b) to influence, in particular to increase at least a predetermined minimum distance.

13. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the mechanical braking device (17a, 17b) is connected to the control device (7) and the control device (7) is adapted to the mechanical braking device (17a, 17b) for braking the respective transport container (8b) based on the presence information of the preceding transport container (8a), which receives the control device from a transport monitoring device (6, 11) of the device.

14. A method for sorting transport containers for valuables by means of a device, which is designed for sorting of transport containers for valuables and in which the transport containers (8, 8a-b) along a movement path (T) to move through the device, wherein the device in particular a device according to one of the preceding claims, comprising the steps: Supply of transport containers (8, 8a-b) for valuables to the apparatus, which comprises a metal detector (4) on which the transport containers pass, and which has a switch (3) along the path of movement after the metal detector (3) 4) is arranged and at which the movement path branches into at least two branches (21, 22),

Checking the transport containers (8, 8a-b) moved along the movement path for the presence of metallic foreign bodies by the metal detector (4), which sends information to each of the tested transport containers (8, 8a-b) to a control device (7) the device sends whether or not the respective transport container (8, 8a-b) has metallic foreign bodies or not

- Controlling the switch (3) in dependence on whether the respective transport container contains metallic foreign bodies, by the control device (7) which is connected to the metal detector (4) and with the switch (3), wherein the control device (7) Controls shunt (3) for the respective transport container so that the respective transport container (8, 8a-b), if it contains no metallic foreign body, is directed into a first of the branches (21) and, if it contains metallic foreign bodies, into a second of the branches (22) is directed.

15. The method according to claim 14, characterized in that at the end of the first branch, an output device (1) is arranged, in which those transport containers arrive that have no metallic foreign body, and that this output device (1) with the transport containers contained therein (8 8a-b) is transported to a device for automatically opening the transport containers.