Abstract: A metering apparatus including a metering pump having a vertical, elongate pump cylinder tapered at one end to a point, and a piston arranged for axial movement in said cylinder, facilitates transfer of an accurately determined volume of liquid from a first vessel to a second vessel. A method of transfer involves lowering the pump into the first vessel; with the point extending into the liquid contained therein; withdrawing the piston through a first distance such that a volume of liquid substantially exceeding the volume to be transferred is drawn into the pump cylinder; raising the pump slowly, until the pointed part of the pump cylinder occupies a position above the surface of the liquid; advancing the piston through a distance which corresponds exactly to the first and second distances so that the desired amount of liquid is dispensed to the second vessel.

Abstract: A document such as an ID-card is provided with check markings comprising a material based upon rare earth metals and having the property that when excited by IR radiation it emits visible light. When checking the document, the document is irradiated with pulsed IR radiation, the occurrence of corresponding visible light pulses originating from said material being detected. The visible light pulses have well defined rise and decay times dictated by the check material used, which fact is used to check that output pulses from the detector are the correct ones for indicating the genuiness of the document.

Abstract: A method of and an apparatus for reading a manually fed data carrier are disclosed. The data carrier has at least one line of coded positions and is fed manually past reader means including at least one pair of reader means which viewed in the direction of motion of the data carrier are spaced apart by a distance less than the extension of a coded position in said direction. Said pair of reader means detects the direction of motion of the data carrier each time a transition between two successive positions passes said reader means. If the detected direction is opposite to the given read-out direction, the count of a counter is increased with one unit. If the detected direction corresponds with the given direction, the count of the counter is reduced with one unit provided that the count exceeds zero. If the direction corresponds with the given direction and the count is zero, read-out result is fed out.

Abstract: An identity card contains a radioactive substance and information on the intensity of the radiation of said substance. When the card is used, for example in a banking transaction, the current intensity is measured and compared with the information on the intensity given on the card. If the current intensity and the given intensity agree, the card is to be considered genuine.