Bill-validating apparatus

Claim 2

A paper bill-validating device comprising: entry means for receiving a paper bill to be validated; bill transport means disposed adjacent said entry means and including gripping means for receiving said bill and holding the bill on said transport means; an electrical power source; drive motor means alternately energizable to drive said bill transport means in either a first or second direction; enabling means energized upon reception of a paper bill at said entry means to enable electrical power from said source to an enabled power output; sensor means energized by said enabled power output and disposed adjacent said bill transport means to generate an output control signal indicating detection or nondetection of the presence of a predetermined characteristic of said paper bill; and control means energized by said enabled power output and receiving said output control signal from the sensor means to control said drive motor means such that the bill transport means continues in a first direction upon detection of said paper bill predetermined characteristic and reverses in a second direction upon nondetection.

Claim 3

A paper bill-validating device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said bill transport means comprises: first transport means disposed adjacent said entry means for receiving said paper bill therealong; transport belt means driven by said drive motor means and positioned adjacent said first transport means to hold said paper bill in firm contact therewith.

Claim 4

A paper bill-validating device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said sensor means comprises: photosensing means disposed in viewing relationship to a predetermined area of said paper bill and providing a photocell output; reactance means receiving said photocell output to generate said output control signal indicative of detection or nondetection of a predetermined paper bill characteristic.

Claim 5

A paper bill-validating device as set forth in claim 2 wherein said sensor means comprises: photosensing means disposed in viewing relationship to a predetermined area of said paper bill and providing a photocell output; reactance means receiving said photocell output to generate said output control signal indicative of detection or nondetection of a predetermined paper bill characteristic.

Claim 6

A paper bill-validating device as set forth in claim 3 wherein said photosensing means comprises: lamp means disposed to illuminate said paper bill; objective lens means disposed in light-viewing relationship to said bill to receive illumination therefrom and to focus at a preset image plane; photoconductive means positioned to receive said illumination from the objective lens means and providing said photocell output; and mask means interpositioned between said lens means and said photoconductive means to provide optical coaction with the illumination received from said paper bill.

Claim 7

A paper bill-validating device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said enabling means comprises: lamp means disposed in said validating device adjacent said entry means; entrance photocell means positioned adjacent said entry means such that it views illumination from said lamp means through said entry means and is darkened by reception of the paper bill at said entry means to provide an enabling output signal; relay circuit means energized by said enabling output signal to connect electrical power from said electrical power source to said enable power output within said validating device.

Claim 8

A paper bill-validating device as set forth in claim 2 wherein said enabling means comprises: lamp means disposed in said validating device adjacent said entry means; entrance photocell means positioned adjacent said entry means such that it views illumination from said lamp means through said entry means and is darkened by reception of the paper bill at said entry means to provide an enabling output signal; relay circuit means energized by said enabling output signal to connect electrical power from said electrical power source to said enabling power output within said validating device.

Claim 9

A paper bill-validating device as set forth in claim 4 wherein said enabling means comprises: lamp means disposed in said validating device adjacent said entry means; entrance photocell means positioned adjacent said entry means such that it views illumination from said lamp means through said entry means and is darkened by reception of the paper bill at said entry means to provide an enabling output signal; relay circuit means energized by said enabling output signal to connect electrical power from said electrical power source to said enabling power output within said validating device.

Claim 10

A paper bill-validating device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said control means comprises: first relay circuit means energized by said enabled power output and actuated by said output control signal from the sensor means to enable a payout output and providing a reject enabling connection when deactuated; second relay circuit means energized by said enabled power output, said second relay means providing energization of said drive motor means in a first direction when deactuated, and providing drive energization to said drive motor means in a second direction when actuated; reject sensing means enabled by said reject enabling connection from said first relay circuit means and energized in response to position of said paper bill relative to said transport means to actuate said second relay circuit means; and switching means for actuating said first relay circuit means in response to said output control signal from the sensor means.

Claim 11

A paper bill-validating device comprising: entry means for receiving the paper bill to be validated; bill transport means disposed adjacent said entry means and including gripping means for receiving said bill and holding the bill on said transport means; an electrical power souRce; drive motor means alternately energizable to drive said bill transport means in a first or second direction; lamp means disposed to project illumination upon a portion of said paper bill having a predetermined line marking characteristic; lens means disposed in viewing relationship to said bill relative to said lamp means to receive said illumination and to focus the image of the illuminated bill portion at a preset image plane; photoconductive means positioned to receive said projected illumination to provide a photocell output, and including integration circuit means receiving said photocell output for integration over a period of time to produce a validity output; and control means energized by said electrical power source and receiving said validity output signal to control energization of said drive motor means such that the bill transport means continues in a first direction upon detection of said paper bill predetermined line marking characteristic and reverses in a second direction upon nondetection of said characteristic.

Claim 12

A paper bill-validating device comprising: entry means for receiving the paper bill to be validated; bill transport means disposed adjacent said entry means and including gripping means for receiving said bill and holding the bill on said transport means; an electrical power souRce; drive motor means alternately energizable to drive said bill transport means in a first or second direction; lamp means disposed to project illumination upon a portion of said paper bill having a predetermined line marking characteristic; lens means disposed in viewing relationship to said bill relative to said lamp means to receive said illumination and to focus the image of the illuminated bill portion at a preset image plane; photoconductive means positioned to receive said projected illumination to provide a photocell output, and including integration circuit means receiving said photocell output for integration over a period of time to produce a validity output; and control means energized by said electrical power source and receiving said validity output signal to control energization of said drive motor means such that the bill transport means continues in a first direction upon detection of said paper bill predetermined line marking characteristic and reverses in a second direction upon nondetection of said characteristic.

Claim 13

A paper bill-validating device comprising: entry means for receiving a paper bill to be validated; bill transport means disposed adjacent said entry means and including gripping means for receiving said bill and holding the bill on said transport means; an electrical power source; drive motor means alternately energizable to drive said bill transport means in either a first or second direction; sensor means energized by said power source and disposed adjacent said bill transport means to generate an output control signal indicating detection or nondetection of the presence of a predetermined characteristic of said paper bill; and enabling relay circuit means energized by the presence of paper bill at said entry means to enable electric power from said power source to an enabled power output; validate circuit means energized by said enabling circuit means and operative in response to input of said sensor means output control signal to enable a payout output signal and a disable output connection; reject circuit means energized by said enabled power output such that it energizes said drive motor means to move said transport means in a first direction when it is deactuated and in a second direction when it is actuated; reject sensor means responsive to the position of said paper bill at a predetermined position along said bill transport means to generate a reject sensor output; and reject control means receiving said disable output connection from said validate circuit means and being operative upon receiving said reject sensor output in the absence of said disable output connection to actuate said reject circuit means such that the drive motor means reverses to deliver the paper bill back out of the validating device.

Claim 14

A paper bill-validating device comprising: entry means for receiving a paper bill to be validated; bill transport means disposed adjacent said entry means and including gripping means for receiving said bill and holding the bill on said transport means; an electrical power source; drive motor means alternately energizable to drive said bill transport means in either a first or second direction; sensor means energized by said power source and disposed adjacent said bill transport means to generate an output control signal indicating detection or nondetection of the presence of a predetermined characteristic of said paper bill; and enabling relay circuit means energized by the presence of paper bill at said entry means to enable electric power from said power source to an enabled power output; validate circuit means energized by said enabling circuit means and operative in response to input of said sensor means output control signal to enable a payout output signal and a disable output connection; reject circuit means energized by said enabled power output such that it energizes said drive motor means to move said transport means in a first direction when it is deactuated and in a second direction when it is actuated; reject sensor means responsive to the position of said paper bill at a predetermined position along said bill transport means to generate a reject sensor output; and reject control means receiving said disable output connection from said validate circuit means and being operative upon receiving said reject sensor output in the absence of said disable output connection to actuate said reject circuit means such that the drive motor means reverses to deliver the paper bill back out of the validating device.

Claim 15

A paper bill-validating device as set forth in claim 11 wherein said sensor means comprises: photosensing means disposed in viewing relationship to a predetermined area of said paper bill and providing a photocell output; reactance means receiving said photocell output to generate said output control signal indicative of detection or nondetection of a predetermined paper bill characteristic.

Claim 16

A paper bill-validating device as set forth in claim 11 wherein said enabling relay circuit means comprises: photosensor means responsive to presence of a paper bill positioned at said entry means to generate an output signal; relay means energized by said output signal from the photosensor means; enabled power output means supplying electrical power to said validate circuit means and reject circuit means; and relay contacts controlled by said relay means when energized to connect said electrical power source to said enabled power output.

Claim 17

A paper bill-validating device as set forth in claim 3 wherein said photosensing means comprises: lamp means disposed to project illumination on said paper bill; PHOTOCONDUCTIVE means positioned to receive said projected illumination from said paper bill; lenticulated lens means interposed in the path of said illumination projection, said lenticulated lens having a plurality of parallel striations with a line density similar to a predetermined portion of said paper bill.

Claim 18

A paper bill-validating device as set forth in claim 14 which is further characterized to include: mask means interpositioned between said lens means and said photoconductive means to provide optical coaction with the projected light received from said paper bill.

Claim 19

A paper bill-validating device as set forth in claim 1 which is further characterized to include: heater means mounted within said validating device; control circuit means energized by said electrical power source to apply electrical power to said heater means; and control sensor means responsive to ambient heat within said validating device to regulate said control circuitry means to vary the electrical power applied to said heater means thereby to maintain the ambient temperature at a predetermined level.

Claim 20

A paper bill-validating device as set forth in claim 3 wherein said reactance means comprises: amplifier means receiving said photocell output to generate an amplifier output signal indicative of said detection or nondetection; switching means receiving said amplifier output signal and being actuated to a state in accordance with said detection or nondetection; density sensor means disposed in viewing relationship to said predetermined area of said paper bill to provide a density output; and blocking means energized by said density output signal to control said switch means thereby to disable the output control signal when said density output varies from predetermined limits.

Claim 21

A paper bill-validating device as set forth in claim 17 which is further characterized to include: first interference sensor means connected to said electrical power source and actuated in response to relatively high frequency interference, such actuation providing a first interference output to energize said blocking circuit means; and second interference sensor means connected to electrical power from said enable power output to be actuated in response to relatively low frequency interference to energize said blocking circuit means.

Claim 22

A paper bill-validating device comprising: entry means for receiving the paper bill to be validated; bill transport means disposed adjacent said entry means and including gripping means for receiving said bill and holding the bill on said transport mean; an electrical power source; drive motor means alternately energizable to drive said bill transport means in a first or second direction; lamp means disposed to project illumination upon a portion of said paper bill having a predetermined characteristic; lens means disposed in viewing relationship to said bill relative to said lamp means to receive said illumination and to focus the image of the illuminated bill portion at a preset image plane; photoconductive means positioned to receive said projected illumination to provide a photocell output; and control means energized by said electrical power source and receiving said photocell output signal to control energization of said drive motor means such that the bill transport means continues in a first direction upon detection of said paper bill predetermined characteristic and reverses in a second direction upon nondetection of said characteristic.

Claim 23

A paper bill-validating device comprising: entry means for receiving the paper bill to be validated; bill transport means disposed adjacent said entry means and including gripping means for receiving said bill and holding the bill on said transport mean; an electrical power source; drive motor means alternately energizable to drive said bill transport means in a first or second direction; lamp means disposed to project illumination upon a portion of said paper bill having a predetermined characteristic; lens means disposed in viewing relationship to said bill relative to said lamp means to receive said illumination and to focus the image of the illuminated bill portion at a preset image plane; photoconductive means positioned to receive said projected illumination to provide a photocell output; and control means energized by said electrical power source and receiving said photocell output signal to control energization of said drive motor means such that the bill transport means continues in a first direction upon detection of said paper bill predetermined characteristic and reverses in a second direction upon nondetection of said characteristic.

Claim 24

A paper bill-validating device as set forth in claim 19 which is further characterized to include: mask means interpositioned between said lens means and said photoconductive means to provide optical coaction with the projected image of the illuminated paper bill.

Claim 25

A paper bill-validating device as set forth in claim 19 wherein said control means comprises: first relay circuit means energIzed by said electrical power source and actuated by said photocell output from said photoconductive means to enable a payout output and to provide a reject enabling connection when deactuated; second relay circuit means energized by said electrical power source, said second relay means providing energization of said drive motor means in a first direction when deactuated, and providing drive energization to said drive motor means in a second direction when actuated; reject sensing means enabled by said reject enabling connection from said first relay circuit means and energized in response to position of said paper bill relative to said transport means to actuate said second relay circuit means; and switching means for actuating said first relay circuit means in response to said validity output signal from the photoconductive means.

Claim 26

In a paper bill-validating device for use with continuously moving paper bills, photosensitive sensing circuitry comprising: lamp means disposed to project illumination on predetermined line markings of said paper bill; objective lens means disposed in viewing relationship to said bill to receive said illumination for projection therefrom for focusing at a preset image plane; photoconductive means positioned to receive said projected illumination thereby to provide a photocell output, and including integration circuit means for receiving said photocell output and providing a further validity output which is indicative of detection or nondetection of the predetermined line markings on said paper bill; mask means in a position between said lens means and said photoconductive means to provide optical coaction with the projected image of light transmitted through said paper bill to enable moire effect illumination variation at said photoconductive means.

Claim 27

In a paper bill-validating device for use with continuously moving paper bills, photosensitive sensing circuitry comprising: lamp means disposed to project illumination on predetermined line markings of said paper bill; objective lens means disposed in viewing relationship to said bill to receive said illumination for projection therefrom for focusing at a preset image plane; photoconductive means positioned to receive said projected illumination thereby to provide a photocell output, and including integration circuit means for receiving said photocell output and providing a further validity output which is indicative of detection or nondetection of the predetermined line markings on said paper bill; mask means in a position between said lens means and said photoconductive means to provide optical coaction with the projected image of light transmitted through said paper bill to enable moire effect illumination variation at said photoconductive means.

Claim 28

Sensing circuitry as set forth in claim 22 wherein said lens means comprises: lenticulated lens means interposed in the path of said illumination projection, said lenticulated lens having a plurality of parallel striations with a line density similar to the line density of the predetermined line markings on said paper bill.

Claim 29

Sensing circuitry as set forth in claim 23 which is further characterized to include: amplifier means receiving said validity output to generate an amplifier output signal indicative of said detection or nondetection condition; switching means receiving said amplifier output signal and being actuated to a respective first or second state in accordance with said detection or nondetection condition; density sensor means disposed in viewing relationship to said line markings of said paper bill to provide a density output; and blocking circuit means energized by said density output signal to control said switch means thereby to disable said amplifier output signal when said density output varies from predetermined limits.

Claim 30

Sensing circuitry as set forth in claim 24 which is further characterized to include: first interference sensor means connected to the circuitry power supply to be actuated in response to relatively high frequency interference, such actuation providing a first interference output to energize said blocking circuit means; and second interference sensor means connected to the circuitry power supply to be actuated in response to relatively lower frequency interference to energize said blocking circuit means.