Abstract:
Boxes containing banknotes are secured by a mechanism utilizing a latch plate that can be removed and replaced automatically by a device of which the parts include a top slide equipped with a pivoting arm and a pusher designed to hold the latch plate steady and in tension from two points of contact; the device is also equipped with a bottom slide carrying a gripper of which the two jaws operate in concert one with another and with the pusher and the arm to release the latch plate from the position in which it secures the box.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a device for operating a cashbox closure mechanism. 
     In particular, the invention relates to a device for the operation of a closure mechanism used to secure boxes containing groups of sheets, typically banknotes. 
     The invention finds application to advantage in machines for processing banknotes, the art field to which explicit reference is made in the following specification albeit implying no limitation in general scope. 
     It is well known that banks need to move notable amounts of paper money around on a daily basis, whether central banks by which new banknotes are issued, or trading banks through which the notes are circulated. To this end, banknotes are first sorted into groups and then, for the purposes of transport, put into boxes. 
     The boxes are of a conventional type consisting in a container, and a lid hinged either permanently or detachably to the container. 
     To ensure they can be transported without any risk of coming open accidentally, such boxes are provided with a positive or catch type closure mechanism. 
     Likewise by reason of the need to move notable quantities of banknotes around on a daily basis, the machines by which notes are checked, bundled and strapped have been improved over the years and rendered capable of processing the quantities in question at extremely high speed. 
     One drawback encountered in banknote processing machines of the type in question is attributable to the operations connected with opening and closing the boxes at the outfeed stations by way of which the groups of notes emerge, for example, from the strapper/bander. In effect, these operations have been performed hitherto by hand. 
     The drawback in question is the more noticeable when, as happens more and more frequently, boxes are directed at a particularly rapid rate to the outfeed stations from which the groups of banknotes emerge, so that any operation performed by hand will risk occasioning a sizeable reduction in the output capacity normally expected from the overall processing cycle. 
     The object of the present invention is to provide a device for operating the closure mechanism of a box containing groups of banknotes, such as will be capable of opening and closing the box with speed and precision while assuring a highly dependable end result. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The stated object is realized according to the invention in a device for operating the closure mechanism of a box containing groups of sheets, in particular banknotes, wherein the box comprises a container and a lid fastenable in the position by which the container is secured through the agency of a closure mechanism including at least one latch element by which a portion of the lid is connected to a retaining and locking element integral with the container and combining with the latch element to create a catch mechanism, characterized in that it comprises means of releasing the latch element, by which the selfsame latch element is disengaged at least in part from the container and from the lid; and restraining means acting on the latch element in such a way as to distance the selfsame latch element from the lid. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention will now be described in detail, by way of example, with the aid of the accompanying drawings, in which: 
     FIG. 1 illustrates a preferred embodiment of the operating device according to the invention, viewed in perspective from above and with certain parts omitted for clarity; 
     FIG. 2 illustrates a box for banknotes, viewed in perspective from above; 
     FIG. 3 shows a portion of the box in FIG. 2, enlarged and in a side elevation; 
     FIGS. 4,  5 ,  6 ,  7  and  8  are respective schematic side elevations illustrating the device of FIG. 1 in a succession of operating steps. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     With reference to FIG. 1 of the accompanying drawings,  1  denotes a device, in its entirety, for opening and closing a box  2  of the type shown in FIG. 2 serving to contain groups of sheets, in particular banknotes. 
     The device  1  comprises a frame  3  supporting two vertical and mutually parallel side walls  4  and  5 . One side wall  4  carries a first slide way  6  and a second slide way  7 , top and bottom respectively in relation to the frame  3 , disposed parallel one with another and extending longitudinally in a first direction denoted A. Mounted slidably to the ways  6  and  7  are a top first slide  8  and a bottom second slide  9 . The bottom slide  9  is interposed between the relative way  7  and the side wall denoted  5 . 
     As illustrated in FIGS. 4 to  8 , the frame  3  affords a housing  3   a,  to the right of the ways  6  and  7  as viewed in the selfsame drawings, serving to accommodate a box  2 . 
     Still observing FIG. 1, the top first slide  8  carries a plate  10  parallel to the side wall  4 , and a mounting  11  integral with an end of the slide  8  directed toward the aforementioned housing  3   a  by which the box  2  is accommodated. 
     The mounting  11  carries a restraining element  12 , supported by a pivot  12   a  of which the axis  12   b  extends in a horizontal direction B at right angles to the aforementioned longitudinal direction A, consisting in an arm  13  integral with the pivot  12   a  and furnished at the free end with an adze-like blade  14  of which the free edge  14   a  is disposed parallel to the horizontal direction B. 
     The pivot  12   a  is coupled to an electric motor  15  associated with the mounting  11  in such a way that the arm  13  can be made to rotate about the axis  12   b  of the selfsame pivot  12   a.    
     The mounting  11  also affords a first cylindrical opening  16  consisting in a through hole centered on an axis parallel to the longitudinal direction A. 
     A second cylindrical opening  20  disposed coaxial with the first cylindrical opening  16  is afforded by a boss  21  integral with the plate  10 , placed to the left of the mounting  11  as viewed in FIG.  1 . 
     The two cylindrical openings  16  and  20  constitute means by which to support and guide a pusher  17  comprising a rod  18 , accommodated slidably by the selfsame openings  16  and  20 , and a button  19  fitted to a free end of the rod  18  directed toward the housing  3   a  that accommodates the box  2 . 
     The rod  18  presents an annular stop collar  22  positioned between the two cylindrical openings  16  and  20  in such a way as to locate against a face  23  of the mounting  11  directed toward the boss  21 . 
     The rod  18  is also ensheathed by a coil spring  24  positioned between the boss  21  and the annular stop collar  22 . 
     The second slide  9  carries two rods  25  and  26  of which the axes occupy a common plane and extend parallel to a third direction denoted C, orthogonal to the two directions A and B mentioned previously. 
     The two rods  25  and  26  are coupled slidably with relative cylindrical openings  25   a  and  26   a  afforded by the body  27  of a gripper  28 . 
     The gripper body  27  extends in the aforementioned longitudinal direction A and is disposed with the components of the gripper  28 , to be described in due course, directed toward the housing  3   a  occupied by the box  2 . 
     A pivot  29  located at an intermediate point on the body  27  between the two openings  25   a  and  26   a,  with its axis disposed parallel to the horizontal direction B, carries a freely revolving roller  30  positioned so as to engage a cam  31  afforded by the corresponding side wall  5 . 
     More exactly, the cam  31  consists in a slot of arcuate geometry, sloping downwards from left to right as viewed in the drawings. 
     The gripper  28  comprises a pair of jaws  32  and  33 , upper and lower respectively when considered in relation to the frame  3 . The jaws  32  and  33  are hinged by way of respective ends  32   a  and  33   a  to the body  27  and pivotable thus about respective axes  34  and  35  disposed parallel one with another and with the aforementioned second direction B. 
     The end of the body  27  longitudinally remote from the rods  25  and  26 , directed toward the housing  3   a  that accommodates the box  2 , is furnished with a roller  36  interposed between the two jaws  32  and  33  and rotatable freely about an axis  36   a  parallel to the pivot axes  34  and  35  of the jaws. 
     The free end  32   b  of the lower jaw  32  presents a lip  37  directed toward the roller  36 . 
     The free end  33   b  of the upper jaw  33  presents a tip  38  of tapered profile. 
     The movements of the two jaws  32  and  33  and those of the top slide  8  and bottom slide  9  are generated by respective pneumatic actuators of conventional embodiment not illustrated in the drawings. 
     As illustrated in FIG. 2, the cashbox  2  is of substantially elongated parallelepiped appearance, viewed in a longitudinal direction D coinciding substantially with a stacking axis (not indicated) on which the banknotes (likewise not indicated) are aligned internally of the box  2 . 
     In the closed configuration (see FIG.  2 ), the box  2  presents a front face  39  and a rear face  40 , disposed parallel one with another and normal to the longitudinal direction D, and two side faces  41  and  42  parallel to the longitudinal direction D. 
     The box  2  comprises a lid  43  positioned over an open topped container  44 , with which the selfsame lid  43  is associated pivotably and removably along a hinge  40   a  adjacent to the rear face  40 . The front face  39  of the box  2  also presents a handle  45  and a latch element  46  by which the lid  43  is secured to the container  44 . 
     The front face  39  presents a recessed portion  47  serving to accommodate the handle  45  and the latch element  46 , so that these parts remain within the parallelepiped compass of the box  2 . 
     As illustrated in FIG. 3, the latch element  46  forms part of an articulated closure mechanism  48  with which the box  2  is furnished. The mechanism  48  comprises a movable lever  49  connecting by way of a first hinge  50  with a bottom end  46   a  of the latch element  46  and by way of a second hinge  51  with a fixed arm  52  anchored to the container  44  by means of conventional fastening elements  53 . 
     At the end opposite the second hinge  51 , the fixed arm  52  exhibits a portion  54  of semicircular profile designed to locate in a relative cavity  55  afforded by the lid  43 , shaped so as to ensure the correct relative positioning of the lid  43  and the container  44 . 
     The latch element  46  presents a tooth  56  at the top end  46   b,  remote from the aforementioned bottom end  46   a,  designed to engage in a relative concave seat  57  afforded by the lid  43 . 
     Associated with the front face  39  of the box  2 , the container  44  presents a projecting flexible member  58  of which the free end affords a tooth  59 . The lever  49  and the bottom end  46   a  of the latch element  46  are fashioned with respective slots  60  and  61  positioned so as to align one with another when the latch element  46  assumes the position in which the box  2  is closed, thereby admitting the projecting flexible member  58  and enabling the relative tooth  59  to snap over a corner edge  61   a  along which the slot  61  meets an outwardly directed surface  62  of the latch element  46 . 
     The snap type closure thus described constitutes a catch mechanism denoted  68  in its entirety. 
     Likewise on the front face  39  of the box  2 , the lid  43  presents a projecting rigid member  63  placed below the concave seat  57  and insertable through a relative slot  64  afforded by the latch element  46  near the top end  46   b.    
     The bottom end  46   a  of the latch element  46  is fashioned with a recess  65  such as can be engaged, in a manner shortly to be described in more detail, by the aforementioned lip  37  on the lower jaw  32  of the gripper  28 . 
     The two projecting members  58  and  63  are embodied with respective through holes  66  and  67  aligned one with another on an axis E extending substantially transverse to the longitudinal direction D, so that the box  2  can be secured with a conventional seal (not illustrated) if needed. 
     In operation, referring to FIG. 4, the device  1  is disposed initially in an at-rest position facing the box  2 , which will have been positioned in the housing  3   a  by manipulating devices of conventional embodiment (not illustrated). In this situation the box  2  is disposed with the front face  39  directed toward the working parts of the device  1  by which the closure mechanism is released and secured. 
     In the configuration described, the two slides  8  and  9  assume respective retracted positions, both distanced from the front face  39  of the box  2 . In particular, the pusher  17  makes no contact with the latch element  46 , the arm  13  occupies the raised position, the jaws  32  and  33  of the gripper  28  are spread and the pivot  29  occupies its leftwardmost limit position in the slot of the cam  31 , as viewed in FIG.  4 . 
     FIG. 5 illustrates a first operating step in which the slides  8  and  9  of the device  1  are both caused to advance from the at-rest positions of FIG.  4  through the agency of the aforementioned pneumatic actuators (not illustrated), moving along the respective ways  6  and  7  in the aforementioned longitudinal direction A and toward the box  2 . In this first operating configuration, the button  19  of the pusher  17  is positioned in contact with the latch element  46  at an intermediate point along its length. As a result of the advancing movement, the coil spring  24  is compressed partially. 
     In the lower section of the device, the slide  9  is caused to move forward and the body  27  of the gripper  28  made simultaneously to dip as the result of its interaction with the profile of the cam  31 , bringing the body  27  to a stop in contact with the bottom end  46   a  of the latch element  46 . The moment of contact occurs when the roller  36  strikes the outer surface  62  of the latch element  46 . 
     As the roller  36  locates against the surface  62 , the gripper  27  is closed through the agency of the aforementioned pneumatic actuators (not indicated). 
     As a result of this closing movement the tapered tip  38  of the upper jaw  33  engages the flexible member  58 , which is made to flex downwards and thus release the tooth  59  of the selfsame member  58  from its position of positive engagement with the corner edge  61   a.    
     At the same time, the lip  37  of the lower jaw  32  engages the recess  65  in the bottom end  46   a  of the latch element  46 . 
     Referring next to FIG. 6, the bottom slide  9  begins to draw back along the relative bottom way  7  with the result that the body  27  is distanced a short space from the box  2  and lifted at the same time by the profile of the cam  31 . The lip  37  of the lower jaw  32 , being rigidly associated with the body  27 , now retracts and lifts likewise and drags with it both the latch element  46 , with which it is engaged directly, and the lever  49  hinged to the latch element  46 . The lever  49  is thus caused to rotate clockwise, as viewed in FIG. 6, about the hinge  51  by way of which it is associated with the fixed arm  52  of the box closure mechanism  48 . 
     During this same step, the top slide  8  remains motionless relative to the way  6 , and as a result of the movement described by the latch element  46 , identifiable initially to all intents and purposes as a rotation about a respective center within the concave seat  57 , the pusher  17  is retracted and the coil spring  24  consequently compressed further. 
     Concurrently with the movements of the gripper  28  described above, the arm  13  will be rotated by the electric motor  15  in a clockwise direction, as seen in FIG. 6, so as to move the blade  14  toward the concave seat  57  accommodating the tooth  56  of the latch element  46 . 
     As illustrated in FIG. 7, the body  27  of the gripper  28  continues to be retracted, and lifted by the profile of the cam  31 . This induces a further change in position of the latch element  46 , still engaged by the lip  37  of the lower jaw  32 , which occupies the relative recess  65 . At the same time, the arm  13  continues to rotate clockwise, as viewed in FIG. 6, so that the blade  14  slips between the top end  46   b  of the latch element  46  and the portion of the front face  39  afforded by the lid  43 . 
     As a result of the latch element  46  being lifted, the tooth  56  of the selfsame element  46  will become disengaged from the seat  57 . 
     The flexible member  58  in its turn is completely withdrawn from the slot  61  of the latch element  46 . 
     Referring next to FIG. 8, the top slide  8  is retracted along the relative way  6  and distanced from the box  2 . 
     The arm  13  retracts as one with the slide  8  and the latch element  46  is drawn back by the blade  14 , the one being maintained in contact with the other by the reaction force of the coil spring  24  acting on the pusher  17 . 
     This further movement of the latch element  46  is substantially a rotation described about the line of contact between the lip  37  of the lower jaw  32  and the recess  65  afforded by the bottom end  46   a  of the latch element  46 . The movement ceases as the latch element  46  assumes the substantially vertical position illustrated in FIG.  8 . 
     In this position, the latch element  46  makes no contact with any part of the lid  43  and the lid  43  can therefore be raised, by manipulator means of conventional embodiment (not illustrated), thereby giving access to the inside of the container  44  of the box  2 . An intermediate position in the opening movement of the lid  43  is illustrated by phantom lines in FIG.  8 . 
     Thereafter, once the banknotes have been removed from or placed inside the container  44  the box  2  and the lid  43  has been replaced in its correct position covering the container  44 , the device  1  proceeds to return the latch element  46  to its initial position, with the lid  43  secured on the container  44  as illustrated in FIG.  4 . 
     The repositioning steps will be described briefly with reference to the same figures, being easily and clearly comprehensible. 
     Departing from the configuration assumed by the latch element  46  in FIG. 8, the top slide  8  moves along the relative way  6  toward the box  2 , reaching a position in which the rotation of the arm  13  and consequently the disengagement of the blade  14  from the top end  46   b  of the element  46  will occasion an instantaneous clockwise rotation of the element  46 , as viewed in FIG. 8, induced by the action of the spring  24  transmitted through the button  19 , with the result that the top end  46   b  of the element  46  makes contact with the part of the front face  39  constituted by the lid  43  and the rigid member  63  is inserted through the corresponding slot  64 . With the latch element  46  in this position, the bottom slide  9  begins moving along the way  7  toward the box  2 , with the profile of the cam  31  again causing the body  27  of the gripper  28  to dip. During this same movement, the latch element  46  is maintained in contact with the lip  37  of the lower jaw  32  by the action of the spring  24  on the pusher  17 . As a result of the contact, the latch element  46  dips together with the lower jaw  32  and the tooth  56  at the top end  46   b  is made to locate in the matching concave seat  57 . As the slide  9  advances toward the box  2 , the gripper jaws  32  and  33  are spread and, substantially in the same movement, the roller  36  will impinge on the outer surface  62  of the latch element  46 , causing it to rotate about a fulcrum coinciding with the tooth  56 , in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in FIG.  7 . 
     With the latch element  46  driven toward the box  2  by the action of the slide  9  on the roller  36 , the movement of the slide  9  ceases once the flexible member  58 , deforming elastically during its passage through the relative slot  61 , is fully inserted with the tooth  59  snapped over the corner edge  61   a  of the selfsame slot, establishing a stable locking position of the catch mechanism  68 .