Abstract: A controller controlling the dispensing of paper currency including a microprocessor for controlling motors which feed a predetermined mix of paper currency from each dispensing device to a common acceleration device which advances bills to an output stacker. Each individual dispensing device dispenses the proper number of bills to the acceleration device. Apparatus multiplexes the control signals to the stepper motor. After the bills have been dispensed, the stepper motor is halted, and a home positioning sensor determines if the stepper motor has been halted in the proper position. Sensors provided at spaced intervals along the common acceleration device determine if bills have reached the acceleration device. The dispensing operation is repeated if bills do not reach the sensor. The sensors perform the dual function of sensing advancement of a bill and detecting overlapping or multiple fed bills. The adaptive technique compensates for changes in the sensor such as component aging and dust accumulation.

Abstract: A controller controlling the dispensing of paper currency including a microprocessor for controlling motors which feed a predetermined mix of paper currency from each dispensing device to a common acceleration device which advances bills to an output stacker. Each individual dispensing device dispenses the proper number of bills to the acceleration device. Apparatus multiplexes the control signals to the stepper motor. After the bills have been dispensed, the stepper motor is halted, and a home positioning sensor determines if the stepper motor has been halted in the proper position. Sensors provided at spaced intervals along the common acceleration device determine if bills have reached the acceleration device. The dispensing operation is repeated if bills do not reach the sensor. The sensors perform the dual function of sensing advancement of a bill and detecting overlapping or multiple fed bills. The adaptive technique compensates for changes in the sensor such as component aging and dust accumulation.

Abstract: An electronic totalizer countrol for a coin sorter allows the user to assign and change fractional and whole-number coin values for denominations sorted at ten coin sorting stations in the sorter. The totalizer has a liquid crystal display (LCD) that integrates several cursors with the usual digits for displaying totals. A keyboard includes a BAG COUNT key operable to select a particular coin sorting station as indicated by one of the cursors. The keyboard also has DISPLAY keys operable to display monetary totals that has been accumulated by counting signals generated at the coin stations and adding a user-entered coin value for each signal to the total for the respective denomination. Coin data is stored in display data structures in a coin station data table for advantageous operation of the LCD.

Abstract: A scale under microprocessor control weighs each batch of currency. The weight measurement is compared against predetermined stored weight values to determine if the currency being weighed is strap currency or unstrapped currency and to determine the range of the currency count. Dependent upon the result of these comparisons, the proper routine is selected during which the last currency measurement is compared against the measurement criteria of the selected routine to either confirm the accuracy of the count or indicate an error. An average strap value is created from a table of stored values for at least one of the strap quantities and is updated each time a strap of that quantity is weighed. The averaging technique employed creates an average from the weights of the last ten straps of that quantity measured, and which are stored in the table. The averaging is performed after the table is updated.

Abstract: Sensors in the infeed and output stackers, under control of the microprocessor, monitor the sheets. The apparatus is started automatically by placing sheets in the infeed. A count of the sheets is developed and displayed as the sheets are fed. When the infeed is empty and the output contains sheets, the count is retained. If sheets are removed from the outfeed, the count is retained and is reset only after more sheets are placed in the input. The same rules obtain for batching. The sensors cooperate with singles, holes and doubles detectors and have their gain adjusted depending upon sheet density. Automatic threshold adjustment circuits compensate for dust build-up and component aging. Upon sheet detection, the sensing circuit threshold level is instantaneously shifted to prevent an abrupt change in intensity from the sheet covering the sensor to provide an erroneous indication of the presence of a subsequent sheet or sheets.

Abstract: A sheet dispenser for selectively dispensing predetermined numbers of paper currency of different denominations and having plural stations each receiving a stack of bills. The dispenser includes a feed roller with a pair of flanges. The high friction surface portion of the feed roller flanges engage a bottom sheet and feed it between the feed roller and a stripper shoe to assure single sheet feeding. Elongated acceleration pinch wheels each form a nip with the belt for accelerating a sheet entering the nip. A curved resilient guide cooperates with each feed roller to guide sheets toward its associated nip. The sheets pass along the acceleration belt to an outfeed stacker including a stacker wheel. Sensors detect the entry of a sheet into each acceleration nip and control positioning of the feed roller. Notches in the flanges of each feed roller assure movement of the leading edge of the sheet into the feed nip. Each feed roller rotates one revolution for each sheet to be dispensed.

Abstract: A magnetic detection circuit in which the sensor signal is integrated over the length of the examined sheet and compared with a pair of reference levels to establish the presence of too much or too little magnetizable material. The integration technique assures proper operation in spite of changes in feed rate.

Abstract: A coin sorter is disclosed in which a flexible rotating disc opposes a stationary plate that has surfaces which form a series of guide surfaces which are spaced from the disc a distance less than the thickness of coins to be sorted. Coins are deposited on the rotating disc through a central opening in the plate. The guide surfaces form the coins into a single layer and single file at the periphery of the disc. The coins in the single file are pinched between the disc and plate with their inner edges against an outwardly facing spiral shoulder and with their outer edges projecting beyond the perimeter of the disc. The coins in the single file are engaged, in descending order of diameter, by a series of stationary plows spaced about the periphery of the disc. When engaged by a plow, each coin is removed from the pinch between the rotating disc and the plate and is sorted off from the disc at that point.

Abstract: A coin sorter has a hopper in which mixed coins are deposited. A resilient horizontal disc is disposed at the bottom of the hopper and a stationary sorting plate overlies the disc. Coins are carried by the rotating disc between the disc and plate and formed into a single file and single layer and carried to an exit at the perimeter of the sorting plate. A diverter plate engages the coins at the exit and tips them to a position in which they are upright against the peripheral edge of the rotating disc. The upright coins are carried by the edge of the disc past a series of sorting stations formed as openings in curved walls. The coins fall through an opening appropriate to their particular size and into drawers that are suspended beneath the openings on a rotatable collar.

Abstract: Apparatus for separating, counting and stacking sheets, including a feed roller and cooperating stripper shoe for permitting the passage of only single sheets fed therebetween, said sheets being moved along a curved path defined by a guide plate cooperating with the feed roll as the sheet emerges from the region between the stripper shoe and feed roll. The leading edge of the sheet moving along said curved path enters into a nip between an acceleration roller and an acceleration idler mounted on a common axis with the feed roll to abruptly accelerate the sheet and drive it into a stacker wheel which delivers the sheet to an outfeed stacker. The feed roll is provided with a plurality of surfaces of differing coefficients of sliding friction to facilitate separation of sheets.

Abstract: Document handling apparatus for determing the fitness of documents such as paper sheets, paper currency and the like and including a feed mechanism for feeding documents in a single file through an examining location. Documents pass through the examining location and are examined for relative limpness or stiffness, density (i.e. clean or dirty,), perforations, cuts, tears, holes and the like, missing and/or folded corners and a test for document genuineness. Based upon the results of the tests, the sheets, which are still moving at high speed in a single file after examination, are directed toward a rotatably mounted gating roller which, dependent upon the condition of the examined sheets, is rotated either in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction, at extremely high speed, to deflect sheets toward either of two possible output paths. The gating roller may be either a continuous or dicontinuous member.

Abstract: A coin loader for coin handling or processing machines includes a caster mounted coin bin which has a vertical run of a flexible conveyor belt operating in one side of the bin. A plurality of spaced flights are attached to the conveyor belt with each flight having a ledge portions with a scalloped edge and projecting outwardly from the belt a distance greater than half the diameter of the largest coin to be handled. A comb forms the bottom of the bin and has surfaces which complement the scalloped edges so that coins cannot slip out the bottom of the bin. Coins are lifted from the bin on the flights to a horizontal run of the conveyor belt which leads to a coin discharge point.

Abstract: An automatic coin wrapping machine has a coin dispenser which forms coins into a single file and moves them along a track past a counting star wheel to a downwardly curved discharged chute. Coins leaving the discharge chute enter a stacking tube where they are formed into a stack. The bottom of the tube is closed by a movable gate which is vibrated to assist stacking. The formation of a proper stack is sensed by an optical sensor that checks the height of the stack. When a proper stack is formed, the gate is removed and the stack of coins is lowered on a rod to a wrapping section in which three wrapping rollers engage a web of paper and wrap the paper about the stack. Crimping hooks fold over the extending ends of the wrapper and the completed roll is discharged.The width of the track and discharge chute are adjustable for different denominations of coins. One side of the adjustable track and chute is formed on a plate which is pivotally mounted at the rear of the frame of the machine.

Abstract: A coin processing machine includes a hopper that empties into a coin splitting chute with divergent spouts to deliver a half batch of coins to each of two coin sorters operating in parallel. The receptacle is disposed on a counter top to discharge coins along a coin feeding path from the receptacle to the coin splitting chute. Feed control elements extend into the coin feeding path and are responsive to signals from the coin sorters for controlling the delivery of batches of coins to the coin splitting chute. In a first embodiment a trap door at the bottom of the hopper is operated to feed a second batch of coins into the coin sorters while a third batch is dumped into the hopper from a hinged inspection tray. In a second embodiment, larger batches of coins are carried from the receptacle to the hopper by a motor-driven conveyor to which power is interrupted in response to an excess flow of coins which is sensed within the coin sorters.

Abstract: Documents are fed from an infeed through a stripper one at a time. Documents leaving the stripper are accelerated to provide a suitable gap between documents. A light source and phototransistor are used to count the documents. The phototransistor picks up the light passing through the documents as well as light between documents. Plural counters count in a mutually exclusive fashion, said counts representing document length and gap length between documents to count the documents to distinguish between "normal" gap lengths and perforations, tears and the like within documents, to detect the presence of overlapping or abnormally "long" documents to provide an accurate count and to terminate document feeding. The counters mutually exclusively develop counts during the presence and absence of sheets, respectively.

Abstract: Electronic solid state circuitry incorporating the microprocessor for automatically controlling document handling apparatus. Sheets are advanced from a stack of sheets arranged in an infeed stacker and are moved one at a time at high speed through an examining location where sensors examine the sheets to determine their condition. The microprocessor periodically initiates an adjustment in the brightness level and gain control level of the lamps and sensor elements employed in the sensor array; tracks each sheet as it moves through the document handling apparatus; and evaluates the outputs developed by the sensors to determine the fitness of each sheet. A gating roller assembly, under control of the microprocessor, is operated to divert each sheet toward one of a plurality of output stackers according to the results of the evaluation performed by the microprocessor.

Abstract: A limpness detector for examining documents at high speed. A pair of rollers having star-like cross-sectional configurations comprised of substantially V-shaped projections and interspaced V-shaped grooves are cooperatively arranged so that the projections of one of said rollers at least partially enter into the grooves of the other. The rollers are rotated in a synchronous manner. One swingably mounted roller is preferably yieldably urged toward the other. Documents to be examined are fed between the rollers and, depending upon their relative limpness or stiffness, serve to "lift" the swingable roller such that the amount of displacement between the rollers is a function of document limpness. Sensor means is utilized to detect the amount of displacement. Threshold detection circuitry is provided to facilitate calssification of the documents into limp, moderately stiff and stiff documents, for example. The apparatus may also be utilized to detect the presence of overlapping and/or multiply-fed documents.

Abstract: An electronic coin dispenser provides a calculator and a printer besides dispensing coins and displaying the amount of change on an 8-digit LED display. The electromechanical coin dispensing elements and the thermal print head are controlled by a microcomputer, which is responsive to mode select signals to direct such operations as: dispensing amounts between $0.01-$4.99; dispensing the cents portion of a dollar and cents amount on the LED display; and automatically advancing the tape a plurality of lines so that the expended portion can be conveniently torn off. Split change for a quarter and a dollar is provided by operating dual-function keys labeled "0/25" and "00/$" respectively. Remote data is received by the microcomputer through a remote interface and amounts dispensed by remote command are displayed in a distinctive manner. The microcomputer also performs timing functions which are essential to the operation of the print head and coin dispensing elements.