Abstract: A banknote handling device capable of positioning and stopping a banknote at a constant position as accurately as possible without jamming of any banknote. A projection (32) is disposed so as to curve a side of the banknote carried in a slit (9) and the radius of curvature of the curve portion is gradually increased as the banknote (b) is carried toward the downstream side in the slit (9).

Abstract: A particulate feed comprising a first particle type and a second particle type is separated by providing a separation apparatus having a separation vessel having a top and a bottom, and wherein the separation vessel includes inwardly sloping side walls. A magnet structure has a first pole positioned exterior of and adjacent to each of the side walls of the separation vessel, and a second pole positioned above the separation vessel. A mixture of the particulate feed and a ferrofluid is introduced into the separation vessel, and the particulate feed is separated into a first particle fraction comprising a majority of the first particle type, which sinks in the separation vessel, and a second particle fraction comprising a majority of the second particle type which floats in the separation vessel.

Abstract: A bill acceptor is constructed to include a housing, the housing having a base for holding a banknote for examination, a first light emitter adapted to emit infrared light onto the banknote carried on the base of the housing for examination, a second light emitter adapted to emit ultraviolet light onto the banknote for visual examination, an image sensor adapted to pick up infrared light reflected from the banknote carried on the base of the housing and to convert received light signal into image signal, and a display adapted to display image signal obtained from the image sensor for verifying the authenticity of the banknote.

Abstract: A subassembly for a document validator. In an implementation, the subassembly includes a housing, a light pipe core seated in the housing, a light control layer and at least one light source. The apparatus may also include a prism structure layer between a top diffusing surface and the light control structure. The housing may also include at least one input light port on at least one end of the light pipe core.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for handling bill jams within a currency processing device is provided. The device includes a transport mechanism adapted to transport bills along a transport path, one at a time, from the input receptacle past an evaluation unit into a plurality of output receptacles. At least one of the output receptacles includes a holding area and a storage area. A plurality of bill passage sensors are sequentially disposed along the transport path that are adapted to detect the passage of a bill as each bill is transported past each sensor. An encoder is adapted to produce an encoder count for each incremental movement of the transport mechanism. A controller counts the total number of bills transported into each of the holding areas and the total number of bills moved from a holding area to a corresponding storage area after a predetermined number of bills have been transported into the holding area.

Abstract: Methods are disclosed for controlling conveyor systems including providing status information for each of a plurality of conveyors, providing control information for each of the conveyors based solely upon the status information from that conveyor and from adjacent conveyors, and controlling each of the conveyors by communicating the control information between the adjacent conveyors.

Abstract: A sheet depositing device for depositing sheets or sets of sheets fed sequentially from a paper processing apparatus onto a depositing platform and against a depositing registration barrier, the sheet depositing device including a sheet catcher adapted to rest on said depositing platform or adapted to rest on sheets stacked on the depositing platform, the sheet catcher being movable in a direction substantially perpendicular to the depositing platform and engaging the leading edge of incoming sheets before they abut with the depositing registration barrier, and further containing a sheet engaging member suspended from the sheet catcher.

Abstract: The present invention is to provide a paper stacker for use with an image forming apparatus of a high copying speed. The paper stacker comprises a paper conveying means for conveying a paper with an image recorded thereon to a stacking position, a top end stopper provided reciprocatively movably along a conveying path of the paper, a paper receiving plate disposed below the conveying path of the paper for receiving a paper, a rear end stopper for defining the rear end position of the paper on the paper receiving plate, and an elevating device for changing the height of the paper receiving plate, wherein the top end stopper and the rear end stopper are provided movably in the same direction in the conveyance direction per a given number of papers. The papers are stacked only by shifting the top end stopper and the rear end stopper in the conveyance direction so that the stacker configuration is extremely simplified so as to enable a high speed.

Abstract: The present invention provides a sheet process device capable of performing a sheaf discharge operation to discharge sheaves of sheets stacked on a process tray to a stack tray, without discharging a next sheet to the process tray during the sheaf discharge operation and stopping an operation on a body side of an image formation apparatus. In the sheet process device, for example, in a case where an original consisting of six sheets of paper is carried, the first to third sheets are stacked on the process tray as they are without any designation, and the following fourth sheet is designated as a sheaf discharge sheet since it is the sheet two before the final sheet of the sheaf, whereby the sheaf discharge of the first to fourth sheets is performed. The fifth sheet after the sheaf discharge is designated as a wind sheet since a value of a wind counter has been set to be “2”.

Abstract: A coin sorting apparatus has a passage member provided with an ejecting hole and a guide member extended on a passage surface of the passage member. A conveyor belt holds coins together with the passage surface to convey coins along the guide member. A support roller is disposed under an ejecting hole opposite to the conveyor belt. The ejecting hole is contiguous with the guide member and has a guiding slide wall that extends obliquely away from the guide member toward a downstream side of the passage member. The support roller can be turned between a coin-passing position where its upper end is at a level not lower than that of the upper edge of the guiding side wall and a coin ejecting position where the upper end is at a level lower than that of the upper edge of the guiding side wall.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to systems and methods relating to a customizable self-checkout system including a self-checkout device for processing items for purchase by a customer, a processor for controlling the operations of the self-checkout device, and a memory for receiving customer profile data. The processor adapts the operation of the self-checkout system in accordance with the customer profile data.

Abstract: The bill validator disclosed is provided with a plurality of pathway selectors at a position nearer to the inlet than the outlet, wherein the selectors select the pathways in respective different phases for the pathways to form a cross between the plurality of pathway selectors in every pathway selection.

Abstract: An apparatus for providing at least one item of value in cooperation with operation of a companion device delivering at least one first product to a user comprises: (a) a control means for controlling the providing; (b) a providing means for effecting the providing; the providing means being coupled with the control means; and (c) a link with the companion device for effecting the cooperation. The apparatus may further comprise (d) a communication means coupled with the control means for communicating operational information with the apparatus regarding operation of the apparatus; and (e) a memory means coupled with the communication means for storing the operational information. The method comprises the steps of: (a) providing a control means for controlling the providing; (b) providing a providing means coupled with the control means for effecting the providing; and (c) providing a link with the companion device for effecting the cooperation.

Abstract: A gaming machine comprises a cabinet, a coin outlet for dispensing coins, and a coin tray beneath the coin outlet. The coin tray is located a sufficient vertical distance from the coin outlet so as to accommodate a traditional coin collection cup between the coin outlet and the coin tray. The coin tray may contain a beverage cup holder and/or an ash tray, preferably located horizontally away from the coin outlet. The coin tray is coupled to the cabinet and extends below a level of the bottom of the cabinet. When the gaming machine sits on a stand in a gaming establishment, the cabinet sits on top of the stand while the coin tray hangs over a front wall of the stand.

Abstract: A method of registering a sheet in a duplex copier to alleviate the misalignment between the images copied on the front and back of the same sheet and to compensate for paper cut tolerances. The error angle of skew between a target angle, e.g. 90°, and the trailing edge of the sheet is measured and stored during a first pass. When the same sheet is fed through a second pass, the error angle is retrieved and the target angle is adjusted to compensate for the skew error of the first pass so that any misalignment between front and back images is substantially improved over systems that register images to the sheet without any knowledge of the location of the opposite side image.

Abstract: A coin discrimination sensor having an excitation coil and two detector coils arranged to detect eddy currents in a passing coin. The excitation coil is provided a composite waveform formed by adding a low frequency signal (30 KHz) with a high frequency signal (480 KHz). The two detector coils are arranged at different distances from the passing coin, and are calibrated to eliminate the common-mode voltage when no coin is present. As a coin passes by the sensor, eddy currents are induced in the coin which result in phase and amplitude shifts in the low and high frequency components of the detector signal. The low and high frequency components are separated from the detector signal, and their respective phases and amplitudes are ascertained and compared against values stored in a lookup table. These values represent the composition, thickness, and diameter characteristics of known coins, and if the signature of the processed coin does not appear in the lookup table, it can be flagged as an invalid coin.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a sheet conveyance apparatus comprising a rotary member for conveying a sheet; a controller for detecting lowered conveyance performance due to wear of the rotary member, for measuring operation time of the rotary member, for memorizing in advance a limit wearing degree immediately before the rotary member becomes unable to make conveyance due to wear, and for estimating a time at which the rotary member becomes unable to make conveyance due to wear. The duration estimating means uses the wearing degree of the rotary member, the operation time of the rotary member, and the limit wearing degree, to calculate according to an estimation function the time ending the duration at which the rotary member becomes unable to make conveyance due to wear.

Abstract: A sheet-fed printing apparatus includes a delivery section covered with a discharge section cover formed with an opening sized to allow a printed sheet to pass through. Successive printed sheets released from a chain delivery collide against a pair of first sheet-trapping elements in a closed position, and are stacked on a delivery table, with the leading edges of the printed sheets aligned with each other. If a printed sample is needed, an operator opens the first sheet-trapping elements to an open position. In synchronism with the first sheet-trapping elements, a pair of second sheet-trapping elements move to a closed position. A subsequent printed sheet passes through the opening, and stops on the second sheet-trapping elements. Thus, the printed sheet is stopped, with the leading edge thereof projecting outwardly of the sheet-fed printing apparatus. In this state, the operator can take out the printed sample without opening the delivery section cover.

Abstract: Froth flotation processes, useful for beneficiating base metal mineral values from metal sulfide ore, utilize a collector comprising N-butoxycarbonyl-O-butylthionocarbamate.

Abstract: The vibrating screen has a frame, a screen box, two pairs of springs supporting the screen box over the frame and a driven eccentric shaft mounted under the screen box. The vibrating screen is characterized by a loading pan affixed to the upper end of the screen box. The loading pan has a central region over the upper springs such that a flexion of the structural members under the loading pan is minimum. The loading pan is wider than the screen box and has sloped sides forming a funnel on the upper end of the screen box to retain the side portions of a load until most of the central portion has been moved to the screen box. In another aspect, each spring has torsion bushings therein, with a pair of arms joining the torsion bushings and forming an angle pointing toward the lower end of the screen box.