Abstract:
An apparatus adapted for counting the number of and half-wrapping banknotes and adapted to be capable of discriminating the banknotes of different nominal values, is disclosed. The apparatus is so constructed that a sensing or discriminating unit is provided in the transport route for the banknotes extracted by the separating drum for sensing or dicriminating the nominal values, authenticity and transport state of the notes, the banknotes after passing through the sensing and discriminating unit are transported by a changeover shutter plate in occasionally selected one of two preset directions, in such a manner that reject notes are accommodated in the reject note stacker and only the desired notes are accommodated in the stack unit for subsequent half-wrapping.

Description:
This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 601,802, filed Apr. 19, 1984, now abandoned, which is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 561,562 filed Dec. 4, 1983, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,511,301, and of Ser. No. 601,795, filed Apr. 19, 1984, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,566,244. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to an apparatus for counting the number of and half-wrapping or band-sealing paper sheets, such as banknotes. 
     Heretofore, this type of counting apparatus is not capable of discriminating the banknotes of different nominal values, hence the risk that the banknote or banknotes of different nominal value exist inadvertently in the half-wrapped bundle of banknotes of the desired nominal value, resulting in the sum correspondingly different from the correct value. 
     For obviating such deficiency, the banknotes are sorted according to their different nominal values prior to being introduced into the counting apparatus. However, since the sorting is carried out by manual operation, there is the risk that the banknotes other than those of the desired nominal value be inadvertently introduced into the sorted notes, resulting in the sum correspondingly different from the correct value. Moreover, the banknotes with folded edges or corners are difficult to set aside by the manual sorting operation. Hence, when the banknotes are introduced into the counting apparatus, those with folded edges or corners are counted and half-wrapped simultaneously with those positioned normally, thus resulting in half-wrapped bundles of the banknotes being out of alignment with one another. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is a principal object of the present invention to provide such apparatus which avoids the aforementioned deficiency. According to the present invention, a unit for sensing or discriminating the nominal values, authenticity or transport state of the papernotes is provided in the transport route of the banknotes extracted by the feed-out drum. The banknotes after passing through the discriminating unit are changed in their transport directions by the changeover shutter plate in such a manner that reject notes are accommodated in the reject note stacker and only the desired notes are accommodated in the stack unit for half-wrapping. 
     By the term &#34;desired banknotes&#34; is meant herein those having the correct appearance and the nominal value corresponding to that being processed by the paper number counting and half-wrapping apparatus. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The objects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from reading the following detailed description in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing the overall construction of the paper number counting and half-wrapping apparatus adapted to be capable of discriminating the banknotes of different nominal values; 
     FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing the transport chuck of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1 in the banknote chucking state; 
     FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view showing a modified embodiment of the half-wrapping unit of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 4 is a schematic view showing the transport chuck of the apparatus shown in FIG. 3 in the banknote chucking state; and 
     FIG. 5 is a timing diagram showing the operational timing for the sequence of operations carried out in the sequence of operations carried out in the counting and half-wrapping apparatus. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     An apparatus for counting the number of and half-wrapping a batch of banknotes adapted to be capable of discriminating the banknotes of different nominal values according to the present invention is hereinafter described by referring to the accompanying drawings. 
     In the drawings, the numeral 1 designates an L-shaped stack plate on which is placed a pile of a large number of banknotes 2. A pair of guide rolls 3 project partially through slits formed in a bottom portion 1a of the stack plate 1 to a level lying above the bottom plate 1a. A separating drum 4 is supported for rotation by an output shaft of a counting electric motor, not shown, and adapted for separately extracting these banknotes 2. The drum 4 is disposed partially within a recess 1b formed in the bottom portion 1a. 
     An inclined transport plate 5 providing a transfer passageway is provided below the stack plate 1. On the top of the transport plate 5, and adjacent to the stack plate 1, there is disposed a banknote sensing and discriminating unit 6 which is known per se and adapted for sensing the lengths of the long and short sides, pattern, magnetism or folded edges of the banknotes and discriminating the banknotes of different nominal values. 
     electromagnetic means and has a signal generating section 6a and a signal receiving section 6b disposed in opposition to each other and on both sides of the transport plate 5. About centrally of the transport plate 5, there are provided an L-shaped note transfer security member 7 and a reject note stacker 8, said member 7 being carried for rotation by a main body of a half-wrapping device, not shown. On the side of the transport plate 5 opposite to the reject note stacker 8, a changeover shutter plate 9 is rotatably mounted on the main body of the half-wrapping device, not shown. The shutter plate 9 is connected to a driving unit, such as solenoid, which is known per se and therefore not shown, and which is adapted for turning bidirectionally as shown by the solid and dotted lines in FIG. 1 for changing the transport direction of the banknotes. Thus the driving unit is controlled by output signals from the discriminating unit 6 in such a manner that, when the shutter plate 9 is turned to the dotted-line position and projected through an opening 5a in the transport plate 5 towards the reject note stacker 8, the notes 2 are supplied into the stacker 8 and there placed, and that, when the shutter plate 9 is turned to the solid-line position, the notes 2 are transferred downward directly. 
     At the lower part of the transport plate 5 and adjacent to the stacker 8, there is provided a stack unit 10 comprised of a stack plate 11 and a receiving plate 12. An L-shaped edge alignment plate 13 is provided adjacent to one sides of the stack plate 11 and the receiving plate 12. The receiving plate 12 is carried for rotation by the main body, not shown, of the half-wrapping device and turned clockwise in FIG. 1 as the notes are stacked on the stack plates 11. 
     A transfer chuck 17 attached to the foremost part of a slider 16 movable in the direction of the arrow mark A is operably mounted in alignment with the stack unit 10. The chuck 17 consists of a pair of chuck elements 17a, 17b (FIG. 2) that may be opened apart or closed, one 17a of the chuck having a convex chuck surface and the other 17b having a concave chuck surface complementary to the mating chuck surface of the element 17a. 
     The slider 16 is movable on a slide guide 18 with a longitudinal concave profile and has its lower surface formed as one with a tooth rack 19 meshing with a gear 24 of a braking unit 23, said gear meshing in turn with a pinion 22 of a rotary shaft 21 of a transport electric motor 20 which is mounted on a frame member. The slider 16 may be reciprocated in the direction of the arrow mark A by the operation of the tooth rack 19. 
     A half-wrapper ring 25 of the known construction is mounted for encircling the foremost part of the movable member 16, and a stationary plate 27 having a gripping solenoid 26 is mounted to the rear of the movable member 16. An actuating rod 28 for solenoid 26 is connected to the transfer chuck 17 through a connecting rod 28b. The numeral 28a designates a return spring normally biasing the actuating rod 28 in a direction to open the transfer chuck 17. 
     The operation of the aforementioned counting and half-wrapping device adapted for discriminating the paper note of different nominal values, is presently described. 
     A large number of banknotes 2 of different nominal values are stacked on the stack plate 1 and separately extracted in a known manner by the drum 4 which is driven in rotation by the counting electric motor, not shown. The notes 2 are then supplied to the discriminating unit 6 for discriminating of the nominal values and so forth of the notes 2. 
     In instances where a note 2 is found at the unit 6 to be folded at the corner or to be of other than the desired nominal value, the shutter plate 9 is turned to the double-dotted chain line position in such a manner that the note is supplied to and placed in the reject note stacker 8. On the contrary, in instances where a note is found to be of the desired nominal value, the shutter plate 9 is turned to the other or solid-line position, in such a manner that the desired notes are caused to descend into a space between the opened chuck elements 17a, 17b and placed on the stack plate 11 of the stack unit 10. 
     When it is sensed by a counter, not shown, connected to the discriminating unit 6, that 100 (one hundred) notes of the desired nominal value, for example, are supplied into the stack unit 10, the transport motor 20 is driven in reverse for slightly shifting the movable member 16 towards the stacker, so that the banknotes 2 are aligned edgewise by the alignment plate 13. When the grip solenoid 26 is energized in this state, the connecting rod 28b is moved along the slider 16 a distance necessary for chucking. The chuck elements 17a, 17b of the transfer chuck 17 are closed in the direction shown by the arrow mark B for chucking the one end or the half-wrapper side end of a bundle 2a of banknotes. At the same time that the bundle 2a is moved from the stack unit 10 towards the half-wrapping unit 14, the banknotes 2 of the next stack are introduced into the discriminating unit 6 for commencing the counting operation. 
     With the notes 2 thus chucked by the transfer chuck 17, the transport electric motor 20 is driven forward, in such a manner that the movable member 16 formed with the toothed rack 19 is displaced towards left in FIG. 1, along a straight path until the bundle 2a is pulled towards the leftward position as indicated by double-dotted chain line, that is, a position within a half-wrapper ring 25. During this time, the bundle 2a is kept in the chucked state. The slider 16 is then halted in a preset position by the operation of the braking unit 23, at the same time that a sealing tape 25a is applied in a known manner by the half-wrapper ring 25 on the periphery of the bundle 2a to complete the half-wrapping operation. 
     On completion of half-wrapping a printing solenoid, not shown, is energized for applying a stamp seal on the bundle 2a. The transport electric motor 20 is then actuated in reverse for shifting the bundle 2a out of the half-wrapping unit. Thus the bundle 2a is introduced into a bundle stacker, not shown, as it is guided by a supporting plate 10a. The transfer chuck is moved further and reaches a position to grip a new bundle of paper sheets, at which time the operation of the transfer electric motor ceases. FIG. 5 shows the operational timing of various operating parts in the course of the aforementioned sequence of operations. 
     FIG. 3 shows a modified embodiment of the half-wrapping unit of the counting and half-wrapping apparatus adapted for discriminating the banknotes of different nominal value of the present invention. In this modification, a tooth rack 19 is provided to the lateral side of the movable member 16, and an actuating rod 28 for a grip solenoid 26 provided on a stationary plate 27 of the movable member 16 is coupled to an actuating lever 17e in turn associated with meshing gears 17c, 17d that are provided on chuck elements 17a, 17b. The bundle 2a may be chucked similarly to the preceding embodiment by the operation of the solenoid 26. In FIG. 3, when the movable member 16 is at the solid-line position, the transfer chuck 17 is in the state of chucking or in the state ready to chuck the loose bundle at the stack unit 10. When the member 16 is in the double-chain-dotted line position, the chuck 17 is in the stage of chucking the bundle 2a at the half-wrapping unit. 
     FIG. 4 shows the state in which the bundle 2a is chucked by the chuck elements 17a, 17b in FIG. 3, wherein it is shown that the bundle 2a is chucked securely in the bent state. 
     From the foregoing it is seen that the present invention provides a counting and half-wrapping apparatus adapted to be capable of discriminating the banknotes of different nominal values and by which the presence of a banknote of a different nominal value from one presently processed or a banknote with folded edges or corners may be sensed or discriminated at the sensing and discriminating unit, in such a manner that only the desired banknotes, that is, the banknotes having the desired nominal value and appearance are supplied by the shutter plate towards the stacker, while the reject notes are forwarded by the shutter plate into the reject stacker to permit only the desired banknotes to be half-wrapped by the fully automatic process. 
     In this manner, the risk that the banknotes of different nominal value from the desired one or banknotes with folded corners or edges be inadvertently half-wrapped with the banknotes of desired nominal value and appearance as is frequently met in the conventional apparatus may be eliminated completely. In addition, the total time interval from the start of counting until the end of half-wrapping may be shortened because the counting for the next batch of paper sheets can be started as soon as a bundle of paper sheets clears the stack unit.