Title:
Bill stacking mechanism
United States Patent 3917260
Abstract:
Apparatus for stacking bills received from a bill acceptor or the like in which corrugated rollers at the outlet of the acceptor deliver each bill lengthwise to an escrow chamber in front of a flat plate-like ram which is reciprocated in response to a signal from the acceptor to move the bill past retainer flanges on the mouth of a readily detachable cash box against the action of a foam spring in the box to stack the bills vertically within the receptacle.
US Patent References:
/1041808.html
King - October 1912 - 1041808
/1282838.html
Hudson - October 1918 - 1282838
Card processing apparatus
Malin et al. - March 1961 - 2977113
Document stacker
Misbin et al. - August 1967 - 3333843
STACKER FOR PAPER CURRENCY
Bayha - April 1972 - 3655186
/1041808.html
King - October 1912 - 1041808
/1282838.html
Hudson - October 1918 - 1282838
Card processing apparatus
Malin et al. - March 1961 - 2977113
Document stacker
Misbin et al. - August 1967 - 3333843
STACKER FOR PAPER CURRENCY
Bayha - April 1972 - 3655186
Inventors:
Okkonen, Oliver G. (Comstock Park, MI)
Herring, Lloyd D. (Jenison, MI)
Herring, Lloyd D. (Jenison, MI)
Application Number:
05/422266
Publication Date:
11/04/1975
Filing Date:
12/06/1973
View Patent Images:
Export Citation:
Assignee:
Rowe International, Inc. (Whippany, NJ)
Primary Class:
Other Classes:
271/214, 194/206, 271/188
International Classes:
G07D11/00; B65H31/06; B65H29/46
Field of Search:
271/181,180,214,215,216,217,218,219,207,188,162,164 194/4E,4C 214/7,6F,6H
Primary Examiner:
Blunk, Evon C.
Assistant Examiner:
Stoner Jr., Bruce H.
Attorney, Agent or Firm:
Shenier & O'Connor
Claims:
Having thus described our invention, what we claim is
1. Apparatus for stacking elongated bills received from a bill acceptor or the like which delivers an acceptable bill in the direction of the greater longitudinal length thereof and which frees a bill upon delivery thereof, including in combination, a cash box having an elongated mouth, retaining lips extending along the longitudinal edges of said mouth, means forming a narrow elongated escrow chamber in front of said mouth and adapted to receive a freed bill with said bill supported on one of the shorter lateral edges thereof, means at the outlet of said acceptor for imparting to a bill being delivered from said acceptor to said escrow chamber longitudinal crease to inhibit movement of said bill from said position in said escrow chamber in which the bill is supported on said shorter lateral edge thereof after being freed, a flat ram elongated in the direction of elongation of said mouth, the dimension of said ram being such as to engage a bill over a major part of the area thereof, means mounting said ram for movement from a home position at a side of said chamber remote from said mouth across said chamber and through said mouth past said retaining lips and back to said home position to carry a bill from said chamber into said cash box through said mouth and means responsive to operation of said acceptor for moving said ram.
2. Apparatus as in claim 1 including means for manually detachably mounting said cash box on said ram mounting means with said mouth in operative relationship with said ram.
3. Apparatus as in claim 2 in which said cash box mounting means comprises interengageable means on said ram mounting means and on said cash box for mounting said cash box for movement from a position at which said mouth is remote from said space to a position at which said mouth is adjacent to said space, and a manually operated latch for locking said cash box in said adjacent position.
4. Apparatus as in claim 3 in which said interengageable means comprises sliding means.
5. Apparatus as in claim 1 in which the distance between the edges of said lips is less than the width of a bill.
6. Apparaus as in claim 1 in which said ram is generally rectangular in outline, the width of said ram being less than the width of a bill being handled, the length of the ram being greater than the length of a bill being handled.
7. Apparatus as in claim 1 including a block of resilient material in said cash box for urging bills in said box toward said lips.
8. Apparatus as in claim 1 in which said crease imparting means includes corrugated delivery rollers for longitudinally straightening and slightly creasing a bill being delivered to said escrow chamber.
9. Apparatus for stacking bills received from a bill acceptor or the like adapted to produce an output signal in response to the passage of an acceptable bill therethrough including in combination, a frame, means on said frame forming a vertically oriented bill escrow chamber having the general shape of a rectangular parallelopiped, said chamber having an open upper end for the reception of bills on end from said acceptor, one side of said chamber being formed with an opening permitting the discharge of bills from the chamber, a cash box formed with a generally rectangular mouth, respective inwardly directed lips running along opposite longitudinal edges of said mouth, the distance between the edges of said lips being less than the width of a bill being handled to retain bills in said cash box, means in said cash box for biasing bills therein toward said lips, means mounting said cash box on said frame with said mouth adjacent to said chamber discharge opening, a ram having a flat rectangular bill engaging surface, means mounting said ram on said frame for movement of said surface from a home position remote from said mouth through said chamber and through said mouth and back to said home position to carry a bill from said chamber into said cash box past said retaining flanges against the action of said biasing means, energizable drive means for said ram and means responsive to said signal for energizing said drive means, said cash box mounting means comprising interengageable means on said frame and on said cash box for mounting said cash box for movement from a position at which said mouth is remote from said discharge opening to a position at which said mouth is adjacent to said opening and a manually operable latch for holding said cash box in said adjacent position.
10. Apparatus as in claim 9 including corrugated rollers for feeding bills on end to said chamber.
1. Apparatus for stacking elongated bills received from a bill acceptor or the like which delivers an acceptable bill in the direction of the greater longitudinal length thereof and which frees a bill upon delivery thereof, including in combination, a cash box having an elongated mouth, retaining lips extending along the longitudinal edges of said mouth, means forming a narrow elongated escrow chamber in front of said mouth and adapted to receive a freed bill with said bill supported on one of the shorter lateral edges thereof, means at the outlet of said acceptor for imparting to a bill being delivered from said acceptor to said escrow chamber longitudinal crease to inhibit movement of said bill from said position in said escrow chamber in which the bill is supported on said shorter lateral edge thereof after being freed, a flat ram elongated in the direction of elongation of said mouth, the dimension of said ram being such as to engage a bill over a major part of the area thereof, means mounting said ram for movement from a home position at a side of said chamber remote from said mouth across said chamber and through said mouth past said retaining lips and back to said home position to carry a bill from said chamber into said cash box through said mouth and means responsive to operation of said acceptor for moving said ram.
2. Apparatus as in claim 1 including means for manually detachably mounting said cash box on said ram mounting means with said mouth in operative relationship with said ram.
3. Apparatus as in claim 2 in which said cash box mounting means comprises interengageable means on said ram mounting means and on said cash box for mounting said cash box for movement from a position at which said mouth is remote from said space to a position at which said mouth is adjacent to said space, and a manually operated latch for locking said cash box in said adjacent position.
4. Apparatus as in claim 3 in which said interengageable means comprises sliding means.
5. Apparatus as in claim 1 in which the distance between the edges of said lips is less than the width of a bill.
6. Apparaus as in claim 1 in which said ram is generally rectangular in outline, the width of said ram being less than the width of a bill being handled, the length of the ram being greater than the length of a bill being handled.
7. Apparatus as in claim 1 including a block of resilient material in said cash box for urging bills in said box toward said lips.
8. Apparatus as in claim 1 in which said crease imparting means includes corrugated delivery rollers for longitudinally straightening and slightly creasing a bill being delivered to said escrow chamber.
9. Apparatus for stacking bills received from a bill acceptor or the like adapted to produce an output signal in response to the passage of an acceptable bill therethrough including in combination, a frame, means on said frame forming a vertically oriented bill escrow chamber having the general shape of a rectangular parallelopiped, said chamber having an open upper end for the reception of bills on end from said acceptor, one side of said chamber being formed with an opening permitting the discharge of bills from the chamber, a cash box formed with a generally rectangular mouth, respective inwardly directed lips running along opposite longitudinal edges of said mouth, the distance between the edges of said lips being less than the width of a bill being handled to retain bills in said cash box, means in said cash box for biasing bills therein toward said lips, means mounting said cash box on said frame with said mouth adjacent to said chamber discharge opening, a ram having a flat rectangular bill engaging surface, means mounting said ram on said frame for movement of said surface from a home position remote from said mouth through said chamber and through said mouth and back to said home position to carry a bill from said chamber into said cash box past said retaining flanges against the action of said biasing means, energizable drive means for said ram and means responsive to said signal for energizing said drive means, said cash box mounting means comprising interengageable means on said frame and on said cash box for mounting said cash box for movement from a position at which said mouth is remote from said discharge opening to a position at which said mouth is adjacent to said opening and a manually operable latch for holding said cash box in said adjacent position.
10. Apparatus as in claim 9 including corrugated rollers for feeding bills on end to said chamber.
Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
There are known in the prior art bill acceptors which accept bills and which produce a signal if the bill is genuine. These acceptors may form part of a change-making mechanism or the signal may be used to establish a credit which can be used to purchase goods or services. One such bill acceptor is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,485,358, issued Dec. 23, 1969 to Donald E. Hooker, entitled "Dollar Bill Collector."
While devices of the type described above operate satisfactorily in testing the genuineness of bills and in actuating change-makers or establishing credit, the problem exists of collecting and storing the bills which pass through the acceptor. It is obvious that an open storage space into which the bills drop in the manner of coins passing through coin responsive mechanisms is not satisfactory. It is desirable that the bills be stored in a stack and that they not be crumpled or otherwise disarranged.
We have invented apparatus for stacking bills received from a bill acceptor or the like. Our apparatus includes a cash box which is readily removable from the operating mechanism of the stacker. It has a large capacity. It is relatively simple in construction for the result achieved thereby.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
One object of our invention is to provide apparatus for stacking bills received from a bill acceptor or the like.
Another object of our invention is to provide a bill stacking apparatus which has a readily removable cash box.
A further object of our invention is to provide a bill stacking apparatus which is relatively simple in construction.
Other and further objects of our invention will be apparent from the following description.
In general our invention contemplates the provision of apparatus for stacking bills received from a bill acceptor or the like in which corrugated rollers at the outlet of the acceptor deliver each bill lengthwise to a space in front of a ram which is reciprocated in response to a signal from the bill acceptor to carry the bill through the mouth of a cash box and behind retaining flanges thereon against the action of a foam cushion so that bills sequentially fed to the space in front of the ram are collected in the cash box in a stack. The cashbox of our assembly is readily removable from the operating mechanism.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a side elevation of our bill stacking apparatus.
FIG. 2 is a top plan view of our bill stacking apparatus.
FIG. 3 is an end elevation of our bill stacking apparatus.
FIG. 4 is a schematic view of the electrical control circuitry of our bill stacking apparatus.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring now to the drawings, our bill stacking apparatus indicated generally by the reference character 10 includes a cash box indicated generally by the reference character 12 including respective side plates 14 and 16 and a back plate 18 secured to flanges 20 and 22 on the side plates by any suitable means such for example as by rivets 24. The base plate 26 of the cash box 12 is secured to flanges 29 and 30 running along the bottom of the side plates by any suitable means such for example as by rivets 32. We provide the open front or mouth of the cash box 12 with a pair of inwardly directed flanges 36 and 38 extending along the sides of the mouth to retain bills fed into the cash box in a manner to be described.
We form the upper edges of the side walls 14 and 16 of the cash box with a pair of outwardly directed hanger flanges 39 and 40 connected by any suitable means, such for example as by a rod 42. A pin 44 carried by the side plate 14, for example, is adapted to locate the cash box 12 on the remainder of the operating mechanism in a manner to be described. We position a spring in the form of a block of urethane foam 46 within the cash box 12 so as to urge bills in the box toward the flanges 36 and 38.
The operating mechanism, indicated generally by the reference character 48, of our bill stacking apparatus includes a top plate 50 formed with side flanges 52 and 54. We secure respective guide blocks 56 and 58 to the top plate 50 adjacent to the flanges 52 and 54 by any suitable means such as screws 60. The cash box 12 is adapted to be assembled on the operating mechanism 48 by sliding the hanger flanges 39 and 40 along the guide blocks 56 and 58. When the cash box is properly located as determined by the engagement of pin 44 with the operating mechanism 48, a U-shaped latch 61 pivotally supported on the guide blocks 56 and 58 is moved downwardly over the back of the cash box 12. To facilitate this operation we may incline the back edges of side plates 14 and 16 slightly inwardly at the tops thereof.
We form the operating mechanism back plate 62 with a flange 64 at the upper edge thereof adapted to be secured to the top plate 50 by any suitable means such for example as by screws 66. We form a base plate 68 integrally with the back plate 62. Base plate 68 extends from the back plate 62 toward the cashbox 12. Preferably we provide a reinforcing member 70 extending between the base plate 68 and the top plate 50 and secured to the two members by any means such for example as by screws 72. We form the base plate 62 with spaced extensions 74 and 76 which extend for some distance to the left of the base plate 62 as viewed in FIG. 1.
We mount a gearbox 78 on the base plate 62. A motor 80 having an output shaft 82 provides the input to the gearbox 78 so that the output shaft 84 thereof rotates in response to energization of the motor 80. Shaft 84 carries a crank 86 having a pin 88 thereon which receives a bushing 90. We position the bushing 90 in a slot 92 formed in the base 94 of a ram carriage. We secure a flange 96 at the front of the base 94 to a ram 98 by any suitable means such for example as by welding or the like. It will be seen that the ram 98 has a plate-like configuration which, as will be explained more fully hereinbelow, is adapted to engage a bill over a substantial area of the surface thereof. Preferably we connect a strut 100 between the ram 98 at a point below the flange 95 and the carriage base 94 adjacent to the right end thereof as viewed in FIG. 1.
We mount respective pairs of spaced pins 102 and 104 and 106 and 108 on the sides of the carriage base 94. We provide base plate 62 with a flange 110 extending along one edge thereof and along the extension 74 of the base plate 62. A pair of slots 112 and 114 in the flange 110 are adapted to receive pins 102 and 104. A second flange 116 extending along the other edge of the base plate 62 and along the extension 76 is formed with slots 118 and 120 for receiving the pins 106 and 108.
A pair of generally U-shaped vertically extending inwardly opening guides 122 and 124 form an escrow chamber for the reception of bills in front of the flanges 36 and 38. The bill acceptor or the like indicated generally by the reference character 128, and a fragmentary portion of which is illustrated in FIG. 1, is provided with a pair of corrugated outlet rolls 130 and 132, the corrugations of which interdigitate so as to vertically straighten and slightly crease a bill being fed from the acceptor to the space formed by guides 122 and 124.
It is to be noted that the action of the corrugating rollers on a bill is such that even a relatively limp bill, after having passed between the rollers, will not tend to collapse to the bottom of the escrow chamber formed in part by guides 122 and 124. Moreover, the dimensions of the chamber are such as to inhibit collapse of a bill.
The distance between the inboard edges of the lips or flanges 38 is somewhat less than the width of a bill being handled. The ram 98 is higher than a bill is long. The width of the ram, while permitting movement of the ram into the cash box between the lips 36 and 38 is sufficiently great that the ram engages a bill over a major part of the area thereof.
Referring now to FIG. 4, in one form of electrical circuit which may be used to control our bill stacking mechanism, motor 80 is connected across terminals 134 and 136 of a suitable source of voltage in series with a noise-suppression R-C circuit including a resistor 138 and a capacitor 140. The output of the bill acceptor or the like with which our assembly is used includes a terminal 142 which carries a potential of about 30 volts D.C., a ground terminal 144, and a terminal 146 at which a pulse appears when an acceptable bill has passed through the bill acceptor. A voltage divider network 148 and 150 applies the pulse at terminal 146 to the base of a first transistor T-1 having a collector resistor 152 and an emitter resistor 154. The resultant signal appearing on resistor 154 is applied to the base of a second transistor T-2 to energize a relay winding R adapted to close a pair of normally open switches R-1 and R-2. Preferably we connect a noise-suppressing diode 156 across the winding of relay R.
When winding R is energized switch R-1 closes to complete a holding circuit for the winding R through a switch S-2 held in engagement with its normally open contact by a cam 160 on shaft 82 in the rest position of the apparatus. This holding circuit maintains winding R energized after the actuating pulse disappears. When switch R-2 closes, it energizes motor 80 so that shaft 82 begins to rotate. When the shaft 82 begins its rotation, a cam 158, which holds a switch S-1 in engagement with its normally open contact in the rest position of the apparatus, permits the switch to move into engagement with its normally closed contact to complete a holding circuit for the motor. Shortly thereafter cam 160 permits switch S-2 to move into engagement with its normally closed contact. This operation de-energizes the relay R so that switches R-1 and R-2 are opened. In addition the engagement of switch S-2 with its normally closed contact grounds a terminal 162 which may be connected to the bill acceptor to lock out the acceptor so that no more bills can be inserted therein. As shaft 82 completes a revolution, cams 158 and 160 again actuate switches S-1 and S-2 and the circuit returns to the condition shown in FIG. 4.
In operation of our bill stacking apparatus, a bill passing through the bill acceptor 128 emerges from between rollers 130 and 132 in the direction of its length and enters the space between the guides 122 and 124 in front of the ram 98. At the same time a pulse at terminal 146 indicating that an acceptable bill has passed through the bill acceptor causes motor 80 to be energized for a single revolution. As the motor shaft 82 goes through a single revolution, crank 86 carrying pin 88 causes the carriage base 94 to reciprocate so that the ram 98 engages the bill and moves it beyond the flanges 36 and 38 against the action of the cushion 46. This operation continues until the cash box 12 is full. For example, in one embodiment of our apparatus up to one thousand bills can be stacked in the cash box 112. When the cash box is full, the latch 61 can be raised to permit the full cash box 12 to be removed from the operating assembly and a fresh cash box can be assembled in operative relationship thereto.
It will be seen that we have accomplished the objects of our invention. We have provided apparatus for stacking bills received from a bill acceptor or the like. Our apparatus is capable of handling old, new or wrinkled bills without jamming. We provide our assembly with a readily removable cash box. Our assembly is simple in construction for the results achieved thereby.
It will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations. This is contemplated by and is within the scope of our claims. It is further obvious that various changes may be made in details within the scope of our claims without departing from the spirit of our invention. It is, therefore, to be understood that our invention is not to be limited to the specific details shown and described.
There are known in the prior art bill acceptors which accept bills and which produce a signal if the bill is genuine. These acceptors may form part of a change-making mechanism or the signal may be used to establish a credit which can be used to purchase goods or services. One such bill acceptor is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,485,358, issued Dec. 23, 1969 to Donald E. Hooker, entitled "Dollar Bill Collector."
While devices of the type described above operate satisfactorily in testing the genuineness of bills and in actuating change-makers or establishing credit, the problem exists of collecting and storing the bills which pass through the acceptor. It is obvious that an open storage space into which the bills drop in the manner of coins passing through coin responsive mechanisms is not satisfactory. It is desirable that the bills be stored in a stack and that they not be crumpled or otherwise disarranged.
We have invented apparatus for stacking bills received from a bill acceptor or the like. Our apparatus includes a cash box which is readily removable from the operating mechanism of the stacker. It has a large capacity. It is relatively simple in construction for the result achieved thereby.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
One object of our invention is to provide apparatus for stacking bills received from a bill acceptor or the like.
Another object of our invention is to provide a bill stacking apparatus which has a readily removable cash box.
A further object of our invention is to provide a bill stacking apparatus which is relatively simple in construction.
Other and further objects of our invention will be apparent from the following description.
In general our invention contemplates the provision of apparatus for stacking bills received from a bill acceptor or the like in which corrugated rollers at the outlet of the acceptor deliver each bill lengthwise to a space in front of a ram which is reciprocated in response to a signal from the bill acceptor to carry the bill through the mouth of a cash box and behind retaining flanges thereon against the action of a foam cushion so that bills sequentially fed to the space in front of the ram are collected in the cash box in a stack. The cashbox of our assembly is readily removable from the operating mechanism.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a side elevation of our bill stacking apparatus.
FIG. 2 is a top plan view of our bill stacking apparatus.
FIG. 3 is an end elevation of our bill stacking apparatus.
FIG. 4 is a schematic view of the electrical control circuitry of our bill stacking apparatus.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring now to the drawings, our bill stacking apparatus indicated generally by the reference character 10 includes a cash box indicated generally by the reference character 12 including respective side plates 14 and 16 and a back plate 18 secured to flanges 20 and 22 on the side plates by any suitable means such for example as by rivets 24. The base plate 26 of the cash box 12 is secured to flanges 29 and 30 running along the bottom of the side plates by any suitable means such for example as by rivets 32. We provide the open front or mouth of the cash box 12 with a pair of inwardly directed flanges 36 and 38 extending along the sides of the mouth to retain bills fed into the cash box in a manner to be described.
We form the upper edges of the side walls 14 and 16 of the cash box with a pair of outwardly directed hanger flanges 39 and 40 connected by any suitable means, such for example as by a rod 42. A pin 44 carried by the side plate 14, for example, is adapted to locate the cash box 12 on the remainder of the operating mechanism in a manner to be described. We position a spring in the form of a block of urethane foam 46 within the cash box 12 so as to urge bills in the box toward the flanges 36 and 38.
The operating mechanism, indicated generally by the reference character 48, of our bill stacking apparatus includes a top plate 50 formed with side flanges 52 and 54. We secure respective guide blocks 56 and 58 to the top plate 50 adjacent to the flanges 52 and 54 by any suitable means such as screws 60. The cash box 12 is adapted to be assembled on the operating mechanism 48 by sliding the hanger flanges 39 and 40 along the guide blocks 56 and 58. When the cash box is properly located as determined by the engagement of pin 44 with the operating mechanism 48, a U-shaped latch 61 pivotally supported on the guide blocks 56 and 58 is moved downwardly over the back of the cash box 12. To facilitate this operation we may incline the back edges of side plates 14 and 16 slightly inwardly at the tops thereof.
We form the operating mechanism back plate 62 with a flange 64 at the upper edge thereof adapted to be secured to the top plate 50 by any suitable means such for example as by screws 66. We form a base plate 68 integrally with the back plate 62. Base plate 68 extends from the back plate 62 toward the cashbox 12. Preferably we provide a reinforcing member 70 extending between the base plate 68 and the top plate 50 and secured to the two members by any means such for example as by screws 72. We form the base plate 62 with spaced extensions 74 and 76 which extend for some distance to the left of the base plate 62 as viewed in FIG. 1.
We mount a gearbox 78 on the base plate 62. A motor 80 having an output shaft 82 provides the input to the gearbox 78 so that the output shaft 84 thereof rotates in response to energization of the motor 80. Shaft 84 carries a crank 86 having a pin 88 thereon which receives a bushing 90. We position the bushing 90 in a slot 92 formed in the base 94 of a ram carriage. We secure a flange 96 at the front of the base 94 to a ram 98 by any suitable means such for example as by welding or the like. It will be seen that the ram 98 has a plate-like configuration which, as will be explained more fully hereinbelow, is adapted to engage a bill over a substantial area of the surface thereof. Preferably we connect a strut 100 between the ram 98 at a point below the flange 95 and the carriage base 94 adjacent to the right end thereof as viewed in FIG. 1.
We mount respective pairs of spaced pins 102 and 104 and 106 and 108 on the sides of the carriage base 94. We provide base plate 62 with a flange 110 extending along one edge thereof and along the extension 74 of the base plate 62. A pair of slots 112 and 114 in the flange 110 are adapted to receive pins 102 and 104. A second flange 116 extending along the other edge of the base plate 62 and along the extension 76 is formed with slots 118 and 120 for receiving the pins 106 and 108.
A pair of generally U-shaped vertically extending inwardly opening guides 122 and 124 form an escrow chamber for the reception of bills in front of the flanges 36 and 38. The bill acceptor or the like indicated generally by the reference character 128, and a fragmentary portion of which is illustrated in FIG. 1, is provided with a pair of corrugated outlet rolls 130 and 132, the corrugations of which interdigitate so as to vertically straighten and slightly crease a bill being fed from the acceptor to the space formed by guides 122 and 124.
It is to be noted that the action of the corrugating rollers on a bill is such that even a relatively limp bill, after having passed between the rollers, will not tend to collapse to the bottom of the escrow chamber formed in part by guides 122 and 124. Moreover, the dimensions of the chamber are such as to inhibit collapse of a bill.
The distance between the inboard edges of the lips or flanges 38 is somewhat less than the width of a bill being handled. The ram 98 is higher than a bill is long. The width of the ram, while permitting movement of the ram into the cash box between the lips 36 and 38 is sufficiently great that the ram engages a bill over a major part of the area thereof.
Referring now to FIG. 4, in one form of electrical circuit which may be used to control our bill stacking mechanism, motor 80 is connected across terminals 134 and 136 of a suitable source of voltage in series with a noise-suppression R-C circuit including a resistor 138 and a capacitor 140. The output of the bill acceptor or the like with which our assembly is used includes a terminal 142 which carries a potential of about 30 volts D.C., a ground terminal 144, and a terminal 146 at which a pulse appears when an acceptable bill has passed through the bill acceptor. A voltage divider network 148 and 150 applies the pulse at terminal 146 to the base of a first transistor T-1 having a collector resistor 152 and an emitter resistor 154. The resultant signal appearing on resistor 154 is applied to the base of a second transistor T-2 to energize a relay winding R adapted to close a pair of normally open switches R-1 and R-2. Preferably we connect a noise-suppressing diode 156 across the winding of relay R.
When winding R is energized switch R-1 closes to complete a holding circuit for the winding R through a switch S-2 held in engagement with its normally open contact by a cam 160 on shaft 82 in the rest position of the apparatus. This holding circuit maintains winding R energized after the actuating pulse disappears. When switch R-2 closes, it energizes motor 80 so that shaft 82 begins to rotate. When the shaft 82 begins its rotation, a cam 158, which holds a switch S-1 in engagement with its normally open contact in the rest position of the apparatus, permits the switch to move into engagement with its normally closed contact to complete a holding circuit for the motor. Shortly thereafter cam 160 permits switch S-2 to move into engagement with its normally closed contact. This operation de-energizes the relay R so that switches R-1 and R-2 are opened. In addition the engagement of switch S-2 with its normally closed contact grounds a terminal 162 which may be connected to the bill acceptor to lock out the acceptor so that no more bills can be inserted therein. As shaft 82 completes a revolution, cams 158 and 160 again actuate switches S-1 and S-2 and the circuit returns to the condition shown in FIG. 4.
In operation of our bill stacking apparatus, a bill passing through the bill acceptor 128 emerges from between rollers 130 and 132 in the direction of its length and enters the space between the guides 122 and 124 in front of the ram 98. At the same time a pulse at terminal 146 indicating that an acceptable bill has passed through the bill acceptor causes motor 80 to be energized for a single revolution. As the motor shaft 82 goes through a single revolution, crank 86 carrying pin 88 causes the carriage base 94 to reciprocate so that the ram 98 engages the bill and moves it beyond the flanges 36 and 38 against the action of the cushion 46. This operation continues until the cash box 12 is full. For example, in one embodiment of our apparatus up to one thousand bills can be stacked in the cash box 112. When the cash box is full, the latch 61 can be raised to permit the full cash box 12 to be removed from the operating assembly and a fresh cash box can be assembled in operative relationship thereto.
It will be seen that we have accomplished the objects of our invention. We have provided apparatus for stacking bills received from a bill acceptor or the like. Our apparatus is capable of handling old, new or wrinkled bills without jamming. We provide our assembly with a readily removable cash box. Our assembly is simple in construction for the results achieved thereby.
It will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations. This is contemplated by and is within the scope of our claims. It is further obvious that various changes may be made in details within the scope of our claims without departing from the spirit of our invention. It is, therefore, to be understood that our invention is not to be limited to the specific details shown and described.