Abstract: A vending machine bezel for attachment to the front panel of a vending machine that is durable and versatile, and that advantageously provides at least two apertures for the insertion of money. The face of the bezel fits through an industry-standard size bill validator opening in the front panel of the vending machine. In one embodiment, the bezel contains three apertures to accept banknotes, coins and cards in payment for a vend item.

Abstract: Test apparatus for value sheets (e.g. currency notes) comprises optical sensors (16; 116), a path along which the sheet is transported past the sensors, and reference devices (46, 146) carrying reference surfaces (48; 148) having predetermined optical characteristics, for example, for calibration of the optical sensor. Each reference device is rotatable to facilitate rapid movement of the sheet past the optical sensors. The transportation path may be defined by entry and exit guides. Alternatively it may be defined by upper and lower guides (20, 22) of spaced apart wires (24, 32) which do not substantially obscure the surfaces of sheet or the reference surfaces, from the optical sensors. Guide rollers (54, 58, 154, 158) project through spaces between the wires to advance the sheet. An automatic cleaning device is operable to clean the reference surfaces.

Abstract: An edible product having a thin inorganic coating on at least a portion of its surface. The coating preferably forms a moisture/oxygen barrier to result in a coated edible product having an improved shelf-life. The edible products include foods and pharmaceuticals. The inorganic materials used for the coating include SiO.sub.2, SiO, MgO, CaO, TiO.sub.2, ZnO and MnO. Processes and apparatuses for depositing a thin film of inorganic material onto an edible substrate are also disclosed. The preferred processes include sputtering and vapor deposition. The preferred apparatus provides for the continuous production of coated edible products.

Abstract: Apparatus is described for handling sheets, such as bank notes or other value sheets. An inserted note is transported to an intermediate position in which the note can either be rejected or encashed without affecting notes already stored on a temporary storage drum, or the note can be stored on the temporary storage drum from the intermediate position. The intermediate position may be in an output path of the apparatus and the note reversed on to the drum, the intermediate position may be a partially stored position of the note on the drum, from which the note can be discharged without discharging any additional notes already stored on the drum. A selectable transmission coupling is used to rotate the drum from a common drive source in one direction for storing successive notes as a bundle, and in a reverse direction of discharging the bundle.

Abstract: Methods and validation apparatus for achieving improved acceptance and rejection for coins, bills and other currency items. One aspect includes modifying item acceptance criteria by creating and defining three-dimensional acceptance clusters, the data for which are stored in look-up tables in memory associated with a microprocessor. A second aspect involves fraud prevention by temporarily tightening or readjusting item acceptance criteria when a potential fraud attempt is detected. A third aspect relates to minimizing the effects of counterfeit items such as slugs on the self-adjustment process for the item acceptance criteria. A final aspect relates to calculation of a relative value of the acceptance criteria in order to conserve memory space and minimize computation time.

Abstract: A banknote (9) inserted by a user in an entrance channel (1) of a banknote validator moves along a transport path defined by upper and lower belts (10 and 11) past two sensors (2). Each belt is supported on a respective support member (6, 7). The belts are driven on respective rollers (12, 13) which are rotatable on respective axles (14, 15). Projections (21, 20) or the support members bear on the axles (15, 14) against the action of springs (19, 18) such that the lower belt (11), in the region of the first sensor (2), is located at a predetermined distance from the first sensor and that the upper belt (10), in the region of the second sensor (2), is located at a predetermined spacing from the second sensor (2), thus causing the inserted banknote (9) to pass the sensors (2) at a predetermined spacing therefrom. Reference surfaces are similarly mounted. A support for the axles is described in which one end of the axle is axially movable relative to the support.

Abstract: The method of checking the acceptability of value carriers (2) in automatic machines (3) that both accept and return such value carriers consists of carrying out the check according to two acceptance criteria. The first defines the conditions for the acceptance of a value carrier, the second, more rigorous, criterion defines the conditions for the re-use of a value carrier. The device (1) for carrying out the method includes a measuring unit (13), a decision unit (14) and a control unit (15). The value carriers that are not to be re-used are conveyed by transport device (21, 23) to one-way stores (16); those that are available to be re-used are conveyed by transport device (21, 24) to two-way stores (17). The value carriers that are not accepted are transported directly back to the dispensing opening (12).

Abstract: A last-in-first-out coin store comprises a tubular housing (21) in which a coin stack support (22) is driven upwardly or downwardly by an endless belt (28) driven from a motor (23). A coin dispensing mechanism comprises a bar (37) positioned above the tubular housing (21) between a pair of beams (A, B) of light mutually normal, axially displaced along the coin store axis by half the width of a coin, and crossing the center of the coin stack. A control circuit (80) raises and lowers the coin support (22) automatically so as to maintain the uppermost coin at a position where one, but not both, of the light beams are broken so that a coin is ready to be dispensed by the bar (37). A count is kept of the number of coins by a counter circuit (90) responsive to an encoder on the drive belt (28). Useful in gaming machines or change giving coin freed machines.

Abstract: A coin dispenser drops a coin 16 onto a surface 18 for transport to a dispensing area 14. To damp the circular rolling motion of the coin 16 after it falls onto the surface 18, the surface 18 has a strip 24 onto which the coin 16 rolls, thereby bringing the coin 16 quickly to rest.

Abstract: Apparatus for validating items of value is described. The apparatus includes a measurement circuit including an inductor, the complex impedance of which varies in accordance with the interaction between a test item of value and a magnetic field within which the inductor is located. Circuitry is provided for extracting first and second periodic signals from the measurement circuit, and a circuit is provided for timing the interval between corresponding portions of the first and second periodic signals. A processing element then determines the value of a parameter related to at least one of the real and imaginary parts of said complex impedance, as a measure of the validity of said test item, from the outputs of the timing circuit.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for stacking sheets on a stationary stack is disclosed comprising conveying a sheet to a roller and rolling the sheet onto the stack of sheets. The roller is preferably moved across the stack of sheets by a carriage while the sheet is being rolled onto the stack.

Abstract: Disclosed and claimed are cocoa extracts such as polyphenols or procyanidins, methods for preparing such extracts, as well as uses for them, especially as antineoplastic agents and antioxidants. Disclosed and claimed are antineoplastic compositions containing cocoa polyphenols or procyanidins and methods for treating patients employing the compositions. Additionally disclosed and claimed is a kit for treating a patient in need of treatment with an antineoplastic agent containing cocoa polyphenols or procyanidins as well as a lyophilized antineoplastic composition containing cocoa polyphenols or procyanidins. Further, disclosed and claimed is the use of the invention in antioxidant, preservative and topiosomerase-inhibiting compositions and methods.

Abstract: An automatic bulk vending machine is described including specific details as to various aspects of accurate volumetric dispensing, the separation of small broken pieces or fines from the dispensed product, and the easy and sanitary loading of such a machine. Further details as to how to provide a highly flexible selection process are provided. An automatic bulk vending machine according to the present invention may include a touch-screen for providing a visually entertaining and instructive display to guide a customer through the product selection process. Products to be selected may be stored in bins and volumetrically dispensed by a dispenser to a blending and holding pan. From this pan, they are then directed through a dispenser tube including a fines separator and collector to a dispensing cup. Bulk refill containers are also disclosed. Unlike an ordinary vending machine, the customer can choose the blend of product to be purchased.

Abstract: In a process for the classification of an article such as a banknote described by of a k-dimensional feature vector (AGF) which is prepared by a preliminary processing system (7), a test specimen is either assigned to one of n target classes or classified as a counterfeit. For the n target classes n recognition units (15.1 to 15.n) are used, exactly one of the n target classes being recognisable by one recognition unit (15.j) using a respective feature vector (AGFj) prepared for that class. A recognised target class is transmitted by an output unit (14) to a service system (11). There are assigned to a target class in a learning phase several k-dimensional target vectors which are compared with the feature vector during the classification. The recognition unit (15.j) is advantageously a neural network, one neuron comparing the feature vector (AGFj) with one of the target vectors.

Abstract: A profile sensor apparatus and method for measuring the contours and/or the thickness of a document or other thin sheet material is disclosed. In one embodiment, a planar beam assembly has a roller wheel attached to a first end and a mounting brace attached to a second end. The planar beam assembly includes at least one strain sensor and a flexible substrate, wherein the substrate may be coated with a visco-elastic polymer layer for damping any resonant vibrations which may occur during operation. A hard reference surface is located opposite the roller wheel. A mechanical preload biases the roller wheel to contact the reference surface with a predetermined amount of force to ensure correct operation. As a document passes between the reference surface and roller wheel, the roller wheel is displaced which in turn causes the planar beam assembly to flex. As the planar beam assembly deforms the strain sensor generates electrical signals which are proportional to the profile and/or the thickness of the document.

Abstract: A device for stacking sheets comprises a drive (1) with a control device (29) and a pusher plate (6) which is arranged on a rod linkage (2), is displaceable perpendicular to a transport plane (8) and which pushes a sheet (5), which has been advanced in the transport plane (8) and aligned over a substantially rectangular entry opening (11) of a cassette (3), through the entry opening (11) into the cassette and onto a stack (4). The rod linkage comprises a control plane (13) and two pairs of arms (15, 16) forming double scissors that can be pivoted about an axle pin (19) by the drive (1). Pivoting of the double scissors moves the pusher plate (6) relative to the cassette (3). The control device (29) is arranged to limit the depth of penetration of the pusher plate (6) into the cassette (3) by reversing the direction of rotation of the drive (1) when the desired depth of penetration has been reached.

Abstract: A banknote reader for initiating a service operation of a vending machine comprises an installation housing of side plates and a money container. Between the side plates are modules for aligning, transporting, checking and/or rejecting banknotes. The modules are positioned at predetermined locations along the transport path of the banknotes. The installation housing has exchangeable front parts and opposite narrow sides. A flap which can be pivoted for maintenance work can be provided. A built-in control device and a connecting opening to the money container can be included.

Abstract: An apparatus for withdrawing banknotes from a cashbox is disclosed. The apparatus includes a housing for receiving a locked cashbox having a door which is openable within the housing. The outer housing prevents manual extraction of the cashbox contents when the cashbox door is open. A handling and transport mechanism is contained in the outer housing to remove the cashbox contents and perform processing of the contents.