Document detecting arrangement

Claim 1

An arrangement for detecting documents, such as bank notes, cheques, coupons and the like, exhibiting magnetic properties, the arrangement including transport means (11) for transporting documents along a transport path (0--0) past a magnetic detector (12-14), the magnetic detector (12-14) including means (12) for generating a permanent magnetic field having a north-south-direction in magnetic circuit (13) and being so positioned in relation to the transport means (11) that transported documents are caused to pass by said magnetic circuit (13) and therewith cause changes to occur in the magnetic field in response to the magnetic properties of the documents, characterized in that said magnetic circuit (13) comprises a pair of substantially parallel arms (132, 133) jointed at one end thereof by a yoke and configured at the other end thereof to define a narrow air gap, said gap being located closely adjacent said transport path (0--0) and lying within a plane intercepting the transport path (0--0) essentially perpendicularly to said path, and a detector means (14) which is operative to detect any change in the magnetic field that might occur; said generating means (12) being structured so that the north-south-direction of said magnetic field at a location closely adjacent the air gap extends in the same direction as an intersecting line between said plane and the transport path of a passing document, and said magnetic field at a location closely adjacent the air gap (131) being oriented to lie in said plane; and the output side of the detector means (14) being connected to a signal processing means (30-34) for generating a profile signal in dependence on the magnetic properties of the document.