Abstract: A method of manufacturing a security device comprises: a) providing a transparent, plastics support layer releasably on a carrier layer; b) coating the plastics support layer with a radiation curable material, wherein either i) the radiation curable material inherently provides an optically variable effect or ii) the method further comprises providing the radiation curable material with an optically variable effect generating structure, c) curing the radiation curable material by exposure to suitable curing radiation; and, d) cutting through the cured material and the support layer along a boundary defining the security device.

Abstract: Systems and methods for identifying a coded magnetic thread comprise generating a digital representation of the thread and comparing the digital representation with one or more known digital representations; scanning the digital representation to locate a predetermined code sequence; and rotating the digital representation to locate the predetermined code sequence in a predetermined position corresponding to the position of the predetermined code sequence in a stored version of the or each known digital representation prior to carrying out the comparison.

Abstract: An optically variable magnetic stripe assembly includes a magnetic layer, an optically variable effect generating layer over the magnetic layer, and an electrically non-conductive reflective layer between the magnetic layer and the optically variable effect generating layer.

Abstract: This invention is directed to improvements in fibrous sheets, such as paper, incorporating an elongate impermeable element, to a method of making such paper and to documents made therefrom. The method comprises the steps of bringing an elongate flexible element into contact with a moving support surface, and depositing fibers onto the support surface to form a fibrous sheet which travels in a machine direction. The said support surface has spaced portions which prevent the substantial deposition of fibers at those portions and form windows at spaced locations in at least one surface of the sheet. The deposition of fibers is carried out in such a manner that as fibers are deposited onto the support surface the elongate element is incorporated in the sheet with regions of the element at least partially exposed at at least one surface of the sheet at said windows. At least a leading edge of the spaced portions is at an angle, in the plane of the sheet, which is not 90° to the machine direction.

Abstract: The invention relates to improvements in paper, and in particular to the use of watermarks and/or embossings for strengthening paper sheets and documents made therefrom. The invention therefore provides a sheet of paper having at least three corners and three sides joined at said corners, wherein corner reinforcing watermarks are provided at each of said corners. Alternatively, or in addition, corner reinforcing embossings are provided at each of said corners.

Abstract: A document storage device for storing sheet documents is disclosed. The device comprises a band (3), which can be wound onto a document storage roller (2) such that sheet documents can be stored between adjacent windings of the band on the document storage roller and which can be unwound from the document storage roller thereby dispensing the stored documents, and a scraper assembly rotatable about a pivot (21) and comprising a scraper (19) and an end stop (20), each for contacting the band on the document storage roller. The scraper assembly is urged by a first biassing element (22) such that the end stop maintains contact with the band on the document storage roller at a point distal from the pivot relative to the point of contact of the scraper with the band on the document storage roller.

Abstract: A method of depositing items of value, the method comprising 1) receiving a tamper evident and coded container holding the items of value, the code relating to the content of the container; 2) verifying that the package has been received in an acceptable manner, and, if it has, 3) either incrementing an account with the value of the items of value in the container by reference to the code and without opening the container, or, if the account has previously been incremented, leaving the account unchanged.

Abstract: A financial transactions processing system includes a cradle to receive dispensed notes for dispensing cash to customers and/or tellers. The cradle may be rotatable for use with more than one user. The cradle may have end walls to provide security and privacy to each user. A rotatable shield may provide additional security and privacy. A lock may prevent the cradle and/or shield from rotating to prevent unauthorized access to cash in the cradle.

Abstract: Paper incorporating a wide elongate impermeable element with regions at least partially exposed at one surface of the paper at two sets of windows at spaced locations has its windows formed by two sets of raised portions on the support surface of the papermaking machine. A first set of raised portions has a width transverse to the machine direction in which the paper travels during manufacture which is narrower than the width of the elongate element. A second set of raised portions has a width transverse to the machine direction which is at least equal to the width of the elongate element. During manufacture of the paper the elongate element is brought into contact with both sets of raised portions, with edges of the elongate element being supported by the second set of raised portions.

Abstract: A document feeder system for use in a document sorting apparatus is disclosed. The document feeder system comprises upper and lower portions, each having respective feeder elements for feeding documents from a hopper, the upper and lower portions being movable relative to one another between a feeding position, in which the feeder elements of the upper and lower portions are engageable with a document to be fed, and a jam clearance position, in which a document between the feeder elements of the upper and lower portions may be retrieved, wherein the upper and lower portions are urged into the feeding position by a constant force spring.

Abstract: A document feeder system for use in a document sorting apparatus is disclosed. The document feeder system comprises upper and lower portions, each having respective feeder elements for feeding documents from a hopper, the upper and lower portions being movable relative to one another between, a feeding position, in which the feeder elements of the upper and lower portions are engageable with a document to be fed, and a jam clearance position, in which a document between the feeder elements of the upper and lower portions may be retrieved, wherein the upper and lower portions are urged into the feeding position by a constant force spring.

Abstract: A document feeder system for use in a document sorting apparatus is disclosed. The document feeder system comprises upper and lower portions, each having respective feeder elements for feeding documents from a hopper, the upper and lower portions being movable relative to one another between a feeding position, in which the feeder elements of the upper and lower portions are engageable with a document to be fed, and a jam clearance position, in which a document between the feeder elements of the upper and lower portions may be retrieved, wherein the upper and lower portions are urged into the feeding position by a constant force spring.