GB1509295A - Method and apparatus for examining currency bank notes and tokens of value - Google Patents

Abstract

1509295 Bank note examining PITNEYBOWES Inc 2 April 1975 [2 April 1974] 13541/75 Heading G1A In a bank note or token examining system, light from a lamp 140, Fig. 8, and reflector 142 is passed through a note in an examining station 133 to be received by a photo-transistor 148 mounted in front of a parabolic reflective surface 146. The phototransistor 148's output signal is preamplified and fed to integrating means to integrate the transmissivity of the bill over the whole of the bill. If the integrating value is less than a predetermined value it is deemed to be "fit" (for continued use) and is directed by movable fingers 66a, 66b along a conveyer belt path to a collecting and stacking point 42. A "bill spacer" from a dispenser 58 is added to the stack of bills every hundred bills. If the bill is "unfit" it is directed to another similar collecting point 46 via a demonitizing unit 44 which prints a series of bars, Fig. 10 (not shown), on the notes (to prevent the notes being used). The system also has a series of photo-diodes 166 each within a sleeve 160 and behind a lens 164 designed to detect the presence of the "cancelled" bills with the bar markings, and to stop the machine if such cancelled bills are detected. The system is also designed to detect a very low transmissivity, thereby indicating that two bills are stuck together and to route the "double-bill" back to the operator. The system includes counting devices 77, 48, to count the number of bills passing to each stacking point 42 or 46 and a monitoring device 44, 45, checking that the demonitizing bars are being printed. The description includes extensive operational details of the conveyer belt system and an associated signal logic processing system.