Method of automatically sorting thin sheet articles
AssigneeGAO Gesellschaft fur Automation und Organisation mbH
InventorsHorst Boettge, Wilhelm Mitzel, Herbert Bernardi, Josef Geier, Norbert Osswald, Gerd von Aschwege, Robert Schaetz
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for automatically sorting packets of thin sheet articles such as securities, bank notes and the like which are bound in a stack by a band. A series of modular units are provided in which the band and the stack are mechanically separated, each sheet of the stack is conveyed independent of the band, each sheet is tested and directed to a target location dependent upon the results of the test. The transport of sheets having predetermined characteristics is coordinated with the transport of the band.
Claims42
A method of automatically sorting thin sheets, such as paper bank notes, in packets, having a stack of the sheets which may include regular and irregular sheets bound by an associated band carrying specific information, of the type having the steps of withdrawing each sheet from the stack, testing each sheet according to different criteria, assigning a regular or irregular category to each sheet on the basis of a test result of the testing, directing each sheet to one of a plurality of respective target locations which is associated with at least one category assigned to the respective sheet, and separately directing the band to one of the target locations, comprising:
- (a) mechanically separating the stacks and the bands;
- (b) mechanically conveying the bands separately from the stacks;
- (c) conveying each of the sheets over a sheet feed path to one of the target locations and conveying the band over a band feed path to a dwell position within the band feed path;
- (d) maintaining the band at the dwell position within the band feed path for a period of time approximately corresponding to the time period for directing each sheet of the stack associated therewith to the respective target locations;
- (e) collectively depositing the band of each packet having no irregular sheets;
- and
- (f) mechanically reuniting sheets categorized as irregular with the band of the stack associated therewith.
An apparatus for inspecting and sorting pockets of bank notes, each of said packets having a plurality of bank notes which may include regular and irregular notes bound by a band, comprising:
- a separator for receiving and separating said bank notes and said band, feed means for successively passing each of said separated notes along a first feed path within said apparatus, conveying means for independently passing each of said bands along a second feed path within said apparatus, a testing unit disposed along said first feed path for testing each of said bank notes and generating a test signal determinative of characteristics of said bank notes, a conveyor control unit operatively connected to said testing unit for categorizing each of said tested bank notes as regular and irregular in response to said signals and for generating a control output as a function of said categorization, sorting means disposed along said first feed path for sorting said tested notes into groups of regular notes and iregular notes in response to said control output, means for reuniting said irregular notes of each of said packets with said band first associated with said packet, means for collectively depositing bands of packets having no irregular notes, and a stacking member associated with said first feed path for receiving said regular bank notes.
An apparatus for inspecting and sorting packets of bank notes, each of said packets having a stack of bank notes which may include regular and irregular notes bound by a band, comprising a plurality of modular units successively connected to each other for processing the bank notes, first conveying means for passing said notes through a note feed path extending through at least some of said units, second conveying means for passing each band through a band feed path extending through at least some of said units, each intermediately disposed unit of said units having an inlet and an outlet connected respectively to an outlet and an inlet of adjacent units, a separating means disposed in one of said modular units for separating the stack and band of each packet and feeding the band to the second conveyor means and the notes of the respective stack to the first conveyor means, a testing unit disposed in one of said modular units along said note feed path for testing each of said notes and generating a test signal determinative of characteristics of each note, directing means responsive to said test signal for directing each bank note to one of a plurality of target locations within said modular units and for reuniting the notes of a packet having a selective characteristic with the band first associated therewith.
A method of inspecting and sorting packets and bank notes, each of said packets having a plurality of bank notes which may include regular and irregular notes bound by a band, by passing said notes through means for separately determining a plurality of characteristics of the bank notes, comprising:
- (a) removing said band from said bank notes of each of said packets;
- (b) passing each of said separated bank notes over a first feed path through said determining means to identify said regular and irregular notes;
- (c) passing each of said separated bands through a second feed path and holding said bands therein for a time substantially corresponding to the time period required for inspecting and sorting said bank notes first associated with said band as a packet;
- (d) reuniting said each of said bands with any irregular notes of said bank notes first associated with said band as a packet;
- and
- (e) stacking and banding said regular notes.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.