Abstract: Piles of sheets (S5) consisting of sheets of security papers (10), which comprise security paper imprints arranged in the form of a matrix, are cut automatically, with step-wise feed, first of all into layers of strips (18) and then into bundles of security papers (19). The lengths of the feed movements of the feed device (26), which moves the piles of sheets forwards step-wise when cutting strips, are controlled by a reading unit (28) provided on the strip-cutting unit (27), respectively on reading an edge mark, which was printed during printing of the sheets in the printing machine (20) by the printing plate on a side edge of the sheet cut off at a later time and orientated parallel to the feed direction of the pile of sheets, when cutting strips.

Abstract: Before travelling through the first printing unit (14), the sheets are provided on one edge with an individual, consecutively numbered code, which is stored in a computer. This edge is cut off at a time of subsequent trimming. Before and after each operation in the successive printing stations (1,2,3) in the quality control station (4) and in the numbering station (5), these codes are read by automatic reading units (L1to L11), fed into the computer and compared in the latter with the stored values. In the case of non-correspondence, the fault is indicated. In this way, each individual sheet can be followed during its various operations and the possible loss of a sheet can be located immediately. The code of a sheet removed from the operating sequence as a sample or as faulty printing is fed by a hand operated reading unit (L3) into the computer and replacement sheets possibly introduced into the operating sequence are previously provided with a special code, which is likewise fed into the computer.

Abstract: Piles of sheets (S5) consisting of sheets of security papers (10), are cut into layers of strips (18) and then into bundles of security papers (19). The lengths of the feed movements of the feed device (26), are controlled by a reading unit (29) provided on the strip-cutting unit (27). The reading unit reads an edge mark which was printed during printing of the sheets in the printing machine (20) by the printing plate on a side edge of the sheet. The side edge of the sheet is cut off at a later time and orientated parallel to the feed direction of the pile of sheets, when cutting strips. Edge marks read by the reading unit are provided on the printing plate and necessarily follow the expansion of the printing plate increasing in the course of operation, which in particular at the time of die-stamping, is considerable on account of the high contact pressure.

Abstract: The apparatus has a strip cutting device (6) in which the sheet piles (1) are cut into bundle strips (8), a bundle cutting device (16) for cutting the bundle strips into banknote bundles (17) and therebetween a banding station (9) for the bundle strips (8). This banding station (9) has as many synchronously operating banding devices (9a, 9b, 9c, 9d) as there are banknote positions per strip and a band detector system (30,31,32) which indicates the absence of a band (10) or an incorrectly performed banding operation by means of a fault signal which switches off the apparatus. Simultaneously an indication is given at which individual banding device (9a, 9b, 9c, 9d) the fault has occured. Each of these banding devices can be set in operation by means of an associated switch member (34a, 34b, 34c, 34d) for carrying out an individual late banding operation. Then the apparatus can be restarted to continue the automatic operation.

Abstract: Finished printed sheets of security papers (10) are numbered in a numbering machine (21), to whose numbering units (21b) additional blocks are attached, which at a constant, predetermined distance from the printed number, print a cutting mark associated with the respective security paper, on an edge of the sheet which is subsequently cut off. At the time of subsequent cutting of the pile of sheets into strips, these cutting marks define those cutting edges which represent the reference edges of the security papers determining the exact reading position, at the time of subsequent automatic reading of the number of the security papers in circulation. For this purpose, the cutting marks are read by a reading unit (28) located on the strip-cutting unit (27), which unit (28) controls the feed device (26) moving the pile of sheets successively into the cutting positions.