Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
This invention relates to an apparatus ~or counting the
number of and half-wrapping or band-sealing paper sheets, such as
banknotes.
Here-tofore, this type of the counting apparatus is not
capable of discriminating the banknGtes of different nominal val-
ues, hence the risk that the banknote or banknotes of differen-t
nominal value exist inadvertently in -the half-wrapped bundle of
banknotes of the desired nominal value, resulting in the sum cor-
respondingly different from the correct value.
For obviating such deficiency, the banknotes are sorted
according -to their different nominal values prior to being intro-
duced into the counting apparatus. However, since the sorting is
carried out by manual operation, there is the risk that the bank-
notes other than those of the desired nominal value be inadver-
tently introduced into the sorted notes, resulting in the sum
correspondingly different from the correct value. Moreover, the
banknotes with folded edges or corners are difficult to set aside
by the manual sorting operation. Hence, when the banknotes are
introduced into the counting apparatus, those with folded edges
or corners are counted and half-wrapped simultaneously with those
positioned normally, thus resulting in half-wrapped bundles of
the banknotes being out of alignment with one another.
The present invention provides such apparatus which
avoids the aforementioned deficiency. According to the present
invention, a uni-t for sensing or discriminating the nominal val-
ues, authenticity or condition of the papernotes is provided in
the transport route of the banknotes extracted by the feed-out
drum. The banknotes after passing through the discriminating
unit are changed in their transport directions by the changeover
shutter plate in such a manner that reject notes are accommodated
in the reject note stacker and only the desired notes are accom-
modated in the stack unit for half-wrapping.
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By the term ~desired banknotes" is meant herein those
having the correct appearance and the nominal value correspondlng
to that being processed by the paper number counting and half-
wrapping apparatus.
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According to the present invention there~ore there
is provided an apparatus for counting the number of and
half-wrapping banknotes, said apparatus being adapted to be
capable of discriminating the banknotes of different nominal
values, and said apparatus comprising, in combination, a
hopper for accommoda-ting a stack of banknotes, a drurn
mounted to said hopper and adapted for separately extracting
said banknotes from said hopper, a uni-t provided next to
said hopper and adapted for sensing or discriminating the
nominal value, authenticity or condition of -the banknotes
extracted and forwarded by said drum, a changeover shutter
plate provided next to said sensing and discriminating unit
and adapted for selectively forwarding the banknotes from
said sensing and discriminating unit in a selected one or
15 two prese~directions, said shutter plate being con-trolled
by output signals supplied from said unit, a reject note
s-tacker provided next to said shutter plate and adapted for
accommodating reject banknotes forwarded in one selec-ted
transport direction of said shutter plate, and a stack unit
provided next to said reject not stacker and adapted for
accommodating a predetermined number of desired bankno-tes
forwarded in the other selected transport direction of said
shutter plate, whereby reject noteS contained in -the bank-
notes extracted by said drum are forwarded -towards said
reject note stacker and only the desired notes are forwarded
into said stack unit by the operation of said changeover
shutter pla-te. Suitably -the rejec-t note stacker is a sub-
stantially horizontally arranged square-shaped member having
a square-shaped recesses upper surface and having an opening
on the side receiving the banknotes. Preferably a banknote
transport security pla-te is turnably mounted above reject
note stacker.
The present invention will be fur-ther illus-trated
by way of the accompanying drawings, ln which:-
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36~
Fig. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing the
overall construction of the paper number counting and half-
wrapping appara-tus adapted -to be capable of discriminating
the banknotes of different nominal values;
Fig. 2 is a schematic view showing -the transpor-t
chuck of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1 in the banknote
chucking state;
Fig. 3 is a schema-tic perspective view showing a
modified embodiment of the half-wrapping unit of the appara-
tus shown in Fig. l;
Fig. 4 is a schematic view showing the transpor-t
chuck of the apparatus shown in Fig. 3 in the banknote
chucking state; and
Fig. 5 is a -timing diagram showing the opera-tional
timing for the sequence of operations carried out in the
sequence of operations carried out in the counting and half-
wrapping apparatus.
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i ,............................. ~
An apparatus for counting the number of and half-wrap-
ping a batch of banknotes adapted to be capabl0 of discriminating
the banknotes of different nominal values according to the pre-
sent invention is hereinafter described by referring to the
accompanying drawings.
In the drawings, the numeral 1 designates an L-shaped
stack plate on which is packed a pile of a large number of bank-
notes 2. A pair of guide rolls 3 extend partially through slits
formed in a bottom portion la of the stack plate 1 to a level ly-
ing above the bottom plate la. A separating drum 4 is supported
for rotation by an output shaft of a counting electric motor, not
shown, and adapted for separately extracting these bankno-tes 2.
The drum 4 is disposed partially within a recess lb formed in the
bottom portion la.
An inclined transport plate 5 providing a transfer pas-
sageway is provided below the stack plate 1. On the top of the
transport plate 5, and adjacent to the stack plate 1, there is
disposed a banknote sensing and discriminating unit 6 which is
known per se and adapted for sensing the lengths of the long and
short sides, pattern, magnetism or folded edges of the banknotes
and discriminating the banknotes of different nominal values.
The sensing and discriminating unit 6 is
comprised of electromagnetic means and has a signal
generating section 6a and a signal receiving section 6b
~ oppos~-f e
~ disposed ~ s~ each other ~K~ on both sides of
~ c o-f rc~ //y
the transport plate 5. About ~4~t-r~ of the transport
plate 5, there are provided an L-shaped note transfer
security member 7 and a reject note stacker 8, said member
7 being carried for rotation by a main body of a hal~-wrapping
device, not shown. On the side of the transport plate 5
~C)r~j C~c J-
opposite to the ~e~t note stacker 8, a changerover shutter
plate 9 is rotatably mounted to the main body of the half-
wrapping device, not shown. The shutter plate 9 is connected
to a driving unit, such as solenoid, which is known per se
and therefore not shown, and which is adapted for turning
bidirectionally as shown by the solid and dotted lines in
Fig. 1 for changing the transport direction of the banknotes.
Thus the driving unit is controlled by output signals fxom
the discriminating unit 6 in such a manner that, when the
shutter plate 9 is turned to the dotted-line position and
projected through an opening 5a in the shutter plate 5
towards the reject note stacker 8, the notes 2 are supplied
into the stacker 8 and there placed, and that, when the
shutter plate 9 is turned to the solid-line position, the
notes 2 are transferred downward directly.
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At the lower part of the transfer plate 5 and
adjacent to the stacker 8, there is provided a stack
unit 10 comprised of a stack plate 11 and a receiving
plate 12. ~n L-shaped edge alignment plate 13 is provided
adjacent to one sides of the stack plate 11 and the receiving
plates 12. The receiving plate 12 is carried for rotation
by the main body, not shown, of the half-wrapping device
and turned clockwise in Fig. 1 as the notes are stacked
on the stack plate 11.
A transfer chuck 17 attached to the foremost part
of a slider 16 movable in the direction of the arrow mark A
is operatably mounted in alignment with the stack unit 10.
The chuck 17 consists of a pair of chuck elements 17a, 17b
(Fig. 2) that may be opened apart or closed, one 17a of the
chuck having a convex chuck surface and the other 17b having
a concave chuck surface complementary to the mating chuck
surface of the element 17a.
The slider 16 is movable on a slide guide with
a longitudinal concave profile and has its lower surface
formed as one with a tooth rack 19 meshing with a gear 24
of a braking unit 23, said gear meshing in turn with a
pinion 22 of a rotary shaft 21 of a transport electric
motor 20 which is mounted to a frame member. The slider
16 may be reciprocated in the direction of the arrow mark
A by the operation of the tooth rack l9o
i9
A half-wrapper ring 25 of the known construction
is mounted for encricling the foremost part of the movable
member 16, and a stationary plate 27 having a gripping
solenoid 26 is mounted to the rear of the movable member
160 An actuating plate 28 for solenoid 26 is connected to
the transfer chuck 17 through a connecting rod 28b. The
numeral 28a designates a return spring normally biasing the
actuating rod 28 in a direction to open the transfer chuck 17.
The operation of the aforementioned counting and
half-wrapping device adapted for discriminating the paper
note of different nominal values, is presently described.
A large number of banknotes 2 of different nominal
values are stacked on the stack plate 1 and separately
extracted in a known manner by the drum 4 which is driven
in rotation by the counting electric motor, not shown.
The notes 2 are then supplied to the discriminating unlt 6
for discriminating of the nominal values and so forth of
the notes 2.
III instances where a note 2 is found at the unit 6
to be folded at the corner or to be of other than the desired
nominal value, the shutter plate 9 is turned to the double-
dotted chain line position in such a manner that the note
is supplied to and placed in the reject note stacker 8.
On the contrary, in instances where a note is found to be
of the desired nominal values, the shutter plate 9 is turned
to the other or solid-line position, in such a manner that
the desired notes are caused to descend into a space be-tween
the opened chuck elements 17a, 17b and placed on the stack
plate 11 of the stack unit 10.
When it is sensed by a counter, not shown, connected
to the discriminating unit 6, that 100 (one hundred) notes of
the desired nominal value, for example, are supplied into the
stack unit 10, the transport motor 20 is driven in reverse
for slightly shifting the movable member 16 towards the
stacker, so that the banknotes 2 are aligned edgewise by
the alignment plate 13. When the grip solenoid 26 is
energized in this state, the connecting rod 28b is moved
-along the slider 16 a distance necessary for chucking. The
chuck elements 17a, 17b of the transfer chuck 17 are closed
in the direction shown by the arrow mark B for chucking the
one end or the half-wrapper side end of a bundle 2a of
banknotes. At the same time that the bundle 2a is moved
from the stack unit 10 towards the half-wrapping unit 14,
the banknotes 2a of the next stack are introduced into the
discriminating unit 6 for commencing the counting operation.
With the notes 2 thus chucked by the transfer
chuck 17, the transport electric motor 20 is driven formed,
in such a manner tha-t the movable member 16 formed with the
toothed rack 19 is displaced towards left in Fig. 1, along
a straight path until the bundle 2a is pulled towards into
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leftward position as indicated by double-dotted chain line,
that is, a position within a half-wrapper ring 25. During
this time, the bundle 2a is kept in the chucked stage. The
slider 16 is then halted in a preset position by the operation
of the braking unit 23, at the same time that a sealing tape
25a is applied in a known manner by the half-wrapper ring 25
on the periphery of the bundle 2a to complete the half-wrapping
operation.
On completion of half-wrapping a printing solenoid,
not shown, is energized for applying a stamp seal on the
bundle 2a. The transport electric motor 20 is then actuated
in reverse for shifting the bundle 2a out of the half-wrapping
unit. Thus the bundle 2a is introduced into a bundle stacker,
not shown, as it is guided by a supporting plate 10a. The
transfer chuck is moved further and reaches a position to
grip a new bundle of paper sheets, at which time the
operation of the transfer electric motor ceases. Fig. 5
shows the operational timing of various operating parts in
the course of the aforementioned sequence of operations.
Fig. 3 shows a modified embodiment of the half-
wrapping unit of the counting and half-wrapping apparatus
adapted for discriminating the banknotes of different
nominal value of the present invention. In this modification,
a tooth rack 19 is provided to the lateral side of the
movable member 16, and an actuating rod 28 for a grip
g
solenoid 26 provided to a stationary plate 27 of the
movable member 16 is coupled to an actuating lever 17e
in turn associated with meshing gears 17c, 17d that are
provided to chuck elements 17a, 17b. The bundle 2a may
be chucked similarly to the preceding embodiment by the
operation of the solenoid 26. In Fig. 3, when the movable
member 16 is at the solid-line position, the transfer chuck
17 is in the state of chucking or in the state ready to
chuck the loose bundle at the stack unit 10. When the
member 16 is in the double-chain-dotted line position, the
chuck 17 is in the stage of chucking the bundle 2a at the
half-wrapping unit.
Fig. 4 shows the state in which the bundle 2a
is chucked by the chuck elemen-ts 17a, 17b in Fig. 3, wherein
it is shown that the bundle 2a is chucked securely in the
bent state.
From the foregoing it is seen that the present
invention provides a counting and half-wrapping apparatus
adapted to be capable of discriminating the banknotes of
different nominal values and by which the presence of a
banknote of a different nominal value from one presently
processed or a banknote with folded edges or corners may
be sensed or discriminated at the sensing and discriminating
unit, in such a manner tha-t only the desired banknotes, that
is, the banknotes having the desired nominal value and
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appearance are supplied by the shutter plate towards -the
stacker, while the reject notes are forwarded by the shutter
plate into the reject stacker to permit only the desired
banknotes to be half-wrapped by the fully automatic process.
In this manner, the risk that the banknotes of
different nominal value from the desired one or banknotes
with folded corners or edges be inadvertently half-wrapped
with the banknotes of desired nominal value and appearance
as is frequently met in the conventional apparatus may be
eliminated completely. In addition, the tact time interval
from the start of counting until the end of half-wrapping
may be shortened because the counting for the next batch of
paper sheets can be started as soon as a bundle of paper
sheets clears the stack unit.
