GB1183336A - Dispensing Apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

1,183,336. Dispensing apparatus. RCA CORP. 20 April, 1967 [20 April, 1966]. No. 17249/66. Heading G4X. A dispensing apparatus comprises (a) a customer account card data reader; (b) an input device for entering a private identification number; (c) a memory responsive to the output of one of (a) and (b) for producing a corresponding identification number or account card data respectively; (e) means for comparing the so produced number or data with respectively the output of (b) or (a), and means for permitting dispensation by the apparatus subject to agreement between the compared numbers or data. In the embodiment of Fig. 1 which shows a currency dispensing apparatus the memory 16 stores customer account numbers, and the corresponding private numbers. Upon being addressed by the output of the reader 12 which reads a customer account number from an account card 10 the memory transfers the corresponding identification number to a comparison unit for comparison with the output of the input device 18. Information entered into the device 18 is indicated on a display 22 to enable a customer to check his entry. Upon there being an identity between the outputs of the memory and the input device the comparison unit causes a blank check to be supplied to a punch mechanism in unit 26. Information transmitted from the reader 12 and/or memory 16 is entered by the punch mechanism on the check, which is then dispensed for signing by a customer. The check is reinserted into a punch 30. The amount required is entered into device 34, and coded information designating that account is transferred on to the check by the punch upon pressing key 36. The check then passes to a reader and stacker 40, the output of which actuates a unit 42 to dispense the money, and which may update information, e.g. customer's account or number of checks cashed during a given time, in the memory 16. The apparatus may have only one input device and one punch for performing respectively the two manual inputs and the two punching operations. The checks, instead of being punched, may be printed or have information entered thereon in magnetic form. The checks may pass directly from the unit 26 to the reader and stacker 40 if signing is unnecessary. Alternatively if no checks are used the unit 26 and reader and stacker 40 may be omitted. In another embodiment a digital computer combines the unit 14 and memory 16, and conventional checks are inserted into a recorder and stacker. A sequencing number is printed on the inserted check. This number is also recorded on an auxiliary storage unit in which is recorded the amount withdrawn.