Abstract: A braking system and method for an apparatus or vehicle moved along a pathway by an apparatus drive mechanism, for halting the movement of the apparatus or vehicle in the event that the drive mechanism loses power or malfunctions. A conveyance system includes a pathway, an moving apparatus moving along the pathway, the apparatus drive mechanism, a brake rail along the pathway having along one edge a multiplicity of regularly spaced teeth with gaps between successive teeth, and a brake device mounted securely to the apparatus. The brake device includes a rotatably driven rotor having outer helical threads for running the gaps in the brake rail with successive turns of the driven rotor without touching the teeth.

Abstract: A braking system and method for an apparatus or vehicle moved along a pathway by a drive mechanism, for halting the movement of the apparatus or vehicle in the event that the drive mechanism loses power or malfunctions. A conveyance system is provided including a structure defining a pathway, an moving apparatus supported for movement along the pathway, a drive mechanism operatively connected for moving the apparatus along the pathway, a brake rail having along one edge a multiplicity of regularly spaced teeth that define gaps between successive teeth, disposed along the pathway and secured to the structure, and a brake device mounted securely to the apparatus.

Abstract: A braking system and method for an apparatus or vehicle moved along a pathway by an apparatus drive mechanism, for halting the movement of the apparatus or vehicle in the event that the drive mechanism loses power or malfunctions. A conveyance system includes a pathway, an moving apparatus moving along the pathway, the apparatus drive mechanism, a brake rail along the pathway having along one edge a multiplicity of regularly spaced teeth with gaps between successive teeth, and a brake device mounted securely to the apparatus. The brake device includes a rotatably driven rotor having outer helical threads for running the gaps in the brake rail with successive turns of the driven rotor without touching the teeth.

Abstract: A perimeter guard for a machine wherein a plurality of vertical posts are spaced about a machine. Each post is H-shaped and has lateral flanges projecting from it to create vertical channels on each side of the post. A transparent window is slidably mounted in one set of perimeter channels to form an upper guard and a lower pannel is slidably mounted in the other set of opposed channels.A counterbalance is provided for the windows and a detent is provided for locking the lower panels in their lowermost position or in a raised position.

Abstract: A control circuit for a multi-denomination cash dispenser in which the number of bills or coins of each denomination, for varying desired quantities of money to be dispensed, are selected such that the total amount of time required to dispense varying quantities of each denomination is minimized. The control circuit of this invention does not necessarily result in dispensing of cash with a minimum number of bills and/or coins. However, it does, in addition to minimizing the cycle time of the cash dispensing operation, equalize the wear on the various individual dispensers; deplete the inventories of different denominations at approximately the same rate, thereby avoiding premature depletion of one denomination relative to the others, and provide the user with a varied mix of denominations regardless of the amount of currency requested.

Abstract: Apparatus for capturing a card and/or reading and/or writing data bits on a record stripe of the card, including a carriage for supporting a card inserted into the apparatus via a slot, the carriage being bidirectionally selectively driven past a transducer on elongated guide means by a motorized rotatable screw threadably engaging the carriage. A card clamp assembly is associated with the carriage for clamping an inserted card thereto when the carriage is located in other than its home position, whereat positive transfer of a card between the insertion slot and carriage occurs, which home position is proximate the card insertion slot. Stationarily mounted cams cooperating with cam followers of the card clamp assembly deactivate the clamp when the carriage is in its home position to facilitate transfer of an inserted card to and from the carriage.

Abstract: Currency dispensing apparatus is disclosed in which vertically stacked bills located in a removable container positioned in the dispenser are fed one-by-one from the top of the stack through an opening in the container ceiling by a proximately located overlying rotary suction head. The head advances the bills to the nip of a pair of superimposed bill transport belts overlying the stack from which point they are then transported by the belts back over the top of the stack to a diverter whereat the bills are either diverted to an underlying reject bin located adjacent the stack or to a delivery chute for manual removal by a customer. A multiple, or overlapped, bill sensor is located along the bill transport path between the suction pickup head and the diverter which, in cooperation with suitable control circuitry responsive to the sensor, controls the diverter for diverting multiple, or overlapped, bills into the underlying reject bin while allowing single bills to be transported to the customer delivery chute.

Abstract: A depository for receiving, imprinting and storing deposited articles of varying thickness including a housing having a slot in the front thereof through which articles of variable thickness are inserted, a vault also located within the housing into which articles inserted through the housing slot are ultimately transferred for storage, and a movable tube for temporarily storing an article inserted therein through the housing slot while the same is imprinted with a date of deposit or the like and thereafter transferring the imprinted article to the vault.