Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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The present invention relates to a table-top
machine for countin~ wads of used notes, comprising
driving means with rollers for moving the notes one
by one, counting means and means for receiving and
reconsti~uting the wad.
Various types of machines are known for
counting notes in the wads received by central banks.
Although they facilitate very rapid and mechanical
counting of the notes, these machines such as the
machine made by GLORY Ltd., of Japan type G.N.B/l/S,
are nevertheless incapable of detecting the presence
of a note which does not belong in the wad, whether
the latter is a note having a different value or a
forged note. The most frequent error is the presence
of a note of another value and this is owing to the
very similar dimensions of certain notes. It would
therefore be advantageous if a machine for counting
wads is at least capable of detecting a note having
a different value.
The present invention intends to ensure at
least a check of this type.
To this end, the machine according to the
invention is characterized by the fact that it also
comprises at least means for checking the length of
the notes comprising two rows of photo-electric ele-
ments arranged transversely with respect to the tra~ec-
tory of the notes and means for the lateral position-
ing of the notes at the inlet of the machine consti-
tuted by two guides respectively integral with two
carriages moving on a rail and coupled to each other
by a flexible connection passing over two pulleys so
that they move in opposite directions and in syn-
chronism, a positioning device comprising a ball pro-
vided for positioning each of the carriages in dif-
ferent positions corresponding to the different values
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of the notes.
The means for the rapid positioning of the
wad at the inlet of the machine make it possible to
position the notes correctly with respect to the rows
of photo-electric elements, which makes it possible
to work with a minimum number of photo-electric ele-
ments, checking the length being carried out by coun-
ting the photo-electric elements covered by the notes
in each row.
The same rows of photo-electric elements may
also be used for checking if the notes have dog-ears,
i.e. corners which have been folded over of unaccept-
able dimensions. In this case the note is withdrawn
from circulation.
The machine may also advantageously be equip-
ped with other checking means such as means for check-
ing for the passage of two notes at the same time as
well as means for checking the authenticity of the
notes.
The accompanying drawings illustrate, by way
of example, a preferred embodiment of the invention.
Figure 1 is a front elevational view of the
machine.
Figure 2 is a side elevational view thereof,
partly in section.
Figure 3 shows a detail of figure 2, in
section on line III-III of figure 1.
Figure 4 is a view of the upper part of the
outlet of the machine in direction IV of figure 3.
Figure 5 is a view of the lower part of the
outlet of the machine in direction V of figure 3.
Figure 6 is an elevational view partially
in section of the device for centering the notes.
Figure 7 is a plan view of this same center-
ing device.
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Reference will firstly be made to figures 1
and 2. In its upper part the machine comprises a
container 1 intended to receive the wads of notes and
constituted essentially by a main vertical plate 2
and an oblique plate 3 together constituting a type of
hopper. The plate 3 comprises openin~s for the pas-
sage of three driving rollers 4 intended to introduce
the notes one by one into the counting device. The
latter is constituted in known manner by three drive
rollers 5 cooperating with counter-pressure rollers 6
which ensure the travel of the notes in front of the
counting cell. The notes are then entrained between
two sets of rollers 7 and 8, the upper pressure rollers
7 being able to be raised about a pivot 9. The notes
then leave on a smooth roller 10 and are propelled
between the inclined teeth 11 of two wheels 12 set in
rotation in the direction of arrow Fl, which recon-
stitute the wad 13 against two approximately vertical
abutments 14, between which it is possible to recover
the reconstituted wad. The ejection of the notes in
the direction of the wheels 12 is ensured by two rollers
15 and 16. The plate 3 of the hopper comprises a
recess 17 facilitating the positioning of the wad or
its removal. The entire checking mechanism is protec-
ted behind a removable plate 18.
The wad introduced into the hopper 1 isretained laterally and centred by means of two guides
19 and 20 constituted by plates which are able to move
perpendicular to the plates 2 and 3, which may be
positioned opposite two graduations 21 and 22 indicating
the value of the notes to be counted.
Provided on the right-hand side of the
machine is a panel 23 comprising a digital display 24
associated with the counter, an arrangement of three
keys 25 for preselecting the number of notes to be
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counted, a control switch 26, a switch 27 making it
possible to select the value of the notes to be
counted and checked, two buttons 28 and 29 making it
possible to correct by one unit, more or less, the
number of notes counted, in the case where a note is
withdrawn from or added to the bundle and a start/
stop switch 30.
Provided on the left-hand side of the machine
is a panel comprising eight indicator lights referred
to by the references A to H and indicating respectively
when they are illuminated, the preselected value
reached, multiple start, empty inlet, jammed note,
incorrect dimensions, dog-ears, detection of forgery
by the authenticity check number one and detection of
forgery by the authenticity check number two. This
panel also comprises a main switch 32.
The remainder of the machine includes a
power supply circuit 33, a drive motor 34 and an arrange-
ment of cards 35 comprising the electronic circuits
for the counting and checking means. These circuits
are either known or taken from larger installations
constructed by the applicant and described in prior
patents and will not be described again here. Only
the original arrangement of the detectors will be
described with reference to figures 3 to 5. Counting
of the notes takes place approximately in the region
of the point 49, in known manner by means of a photo-
electric cell. The detection members for carrying
out the various checks are mounted on two plates 37
and 38, parallel in the operating position and located
at a sliyht distance from each other, which is just
sufficient for the passage of the notes, the plate 38
being integral with the shaft of the rollers 7 and
being able to be raised with the latter by pivoting
about pivots 9 in order to release a note which may be
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jammed between the plates 37 and 38. The plates 37
and 38 comprise cut-outs such as 39 ~or the passage
of the drive rollers. The lower plate 37 comprises
two rows of slots 40 and 41 arranged on the same line
transversely with respect to the direction of travel
of the notes behind which are mounted photo-electric
elements, for example photodiodes. The upper plate
38 also comprises two rows of slots 43 and 44 arranged
opposite the slots 40 and 41 and behind each of which
is located a light source, for example luminescent
diodes. The electric leads have not been shown so as
not to overcrowd the drawings. The photo-electric
elements 42 make it possible to check the length of
the note, i.e. its value. In fact it is sufficient
to count the photo-electric elements which are covered
or not covered by the note as it passes. The same
photo-electric elements make it possible to detect the
presence of dog-ears, which are detected by a reduction
in the length of the notes in the vicinity of their
front and rear edges, seen in the direction of movement.
Pulses in synchronism with the movement of the note
make it possible to determine the width of the note,
i.e. the successive passage of these front and rear
edges. Checking for dog-ears may be carried out by
~5 means of circuits such as those described in published
French Patent Application 2443107.
Counting the notes and checking their value
is a minimum check of the autherlticity of these notes
before they are put back into circulation or destroyed.
To this end, the machine comprises means for checking
using infrared rays and means ~or checking the presence
of a metal strand.
The means for checking using absorption of
infrared radiation 42 are mounted on the upper plate
38. These means comprise essentially two identical
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devices each comprising a light source constituted by
a luminescent diode 45 respectively 45', in front of
which is placed an infrared filter and a photodiode 46
respectively 46', placed quite close to the diode 45
respectively 45'. The diodes 45 and 45' are supplied
by a high ~requency source of modulated current for
example of lOOKHz. The light reflected is received
by the photodiodes 46 and 46'. The signal received is
demodulated and processed in a known manner.
Checking the presence of a metal strand is
carried out by means of a detection head 47 forming
part of a resonant circuit 48 supplied by a high
frequency source whereof the frequency is close to the
resonance frequency of the circuit. The variation of
current in the resonant circuit at the time of the pas-
sage of the strand has the effect of modulating the
high frequency and it is sufficient to demodulate this
signal in order to detect the presence during a reading
window of the strand, as described in published French
Patent Application No. 2,422,210.
The lower plate 37 also comprises a photo-
electric cell 49 for checking the transfer of the note
from the machine. This cell 49 uses the infrared light
source 45 as its light source.
A special photo-electric cell 50 is provided
further to the rear on the plate 37 for checking if a
note has remained jammed in the machine. This cell co-
operates with a light source 51 mounted on the plate 38.
A photo-electric cell 52 is finally provided
which cooperates with a light source 53 for detecting
double notes,-i.e. superimposed notes which have been
counted as a single note by the counting cell. This
detector for detecting double notes operates by trans-
parency. The signal received is rendered digital by a
trigger, the threshold of which is regulated according
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to the absorption through a note. In order to reduce
the detection errors owing to the absorption differences
depending on the quality of the notes, the pulses are
counted in synchronism with the speed of travel of the
notes throughout the duration of passage of the latter
in front of the detector. Since the number of pulses
detected is twenty for example for a normal width of
note, if two notes are superimposed, the light received
will be less and the number of pulses will be very much
less than twenty, for example five, which makes it pos-
sible to detect double notes.
The movable guides 19 and 20 make it possible
to carry out rapid centring of the wads of different
values in the container 1. These guides are respectively
integral with two carriages 54 and 55 mounted to slide
on a cylindrical bar 56 and in a profiled support 57
extending transversely above the container 1 as shown
in Figs. 6 and 7. An endless cable 60 passes through
the carriages 54 and 55 through two parallel bores 58
and 59 and passes around two grooved pulleys 61 and 62.
The carriage 54 is connected to one of the strands of
the cable 60 at a point 63, by means of a screw, whereas
the other carriage 55 is connected to the other strand
at a point 64. The cable 60 is tensioned by means of
four studs 65. Fixed to the carriages are small plates
66 and 67 each provided with a row of holes 68, respec-
tively 69 forming housings for a ball 70 respectively
71 mounted on a spring 72 in screws supported by a
cross-member 73, for positioning the carriages in one
of the positions corresponding to the graduations 21
and 22. For positioning the two guides l9 and 20 in
the position corresponding to the value of the notes of
the wad to be counted, it is sufficient to push one of
the guides close to the corresponding graduation, the
other guide entrained by the cable 60 being positioned
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automatically opposite the graduation, the final
positioning being ensured by the balls 70 and 71.
When the wad has been introduced and centred
in the container 1, the user places the selector button
27 at the suitable value and by means of the keys ~5
introduces the number of notes to be located in the
wad. The user then starts up the machine by pressing
the button 30. If the preselected number is reached,
the indicator light A lights up. If the checking means
detect a note of incorrect dimensions or comprising
dog-ears of inadmissible dimensions or a forgery, the
indicator light in question lights up and the machine
stops. The note identified is removed. The operator
presses the button 29 in order to correct the number
counted by one unit if less or completes it by a note
which is in a good condition. The number of notes,
respectively the value of the notes counted is recorded
and memorised. It may be processed by a suitable data
processing installation.
