Apparatus and method for measuring the number and/or value of an unknown quantity of articles

A method of measuring the number and/or value of an unknown quantity of articles by use of a weighing and processing apparatus comprising:

• entering into the weighing and processing apparatus a record of an average weight factor related to an average unit weight of the articles to be measured;
• weighing an unknown quantity of articles;
• dividing the total weight of the weighed articles by the said average weight factor to give a first actual quotient;
• comparing the first actual quotient with the nearest ideal quotient to determine whether the first actual quotient differs from the nearest ideal quotient by more or less than a predetermined deviation;
• as a result of the outcome of the comparison step, carrying out at least one of the following steps, namely
• if the first actual quotient differs from the nearest ideal quotient by less than a predetermined deviation, the step of indicating the number and/or value of the quantity of articles weighed by means of a signal derived from the said nearest ideal quotient, and
• if the first actual quotient differs from the nearest ideal quotient by more than the predetermined deviation, the step of indicating a warning that a reliable number and/or value of the quantity of articles weighed cannot be given;
• storing in the weighing and processing apparatus a record of the said deviation of the first actual quotient from its nearest ideal quotient,
• adding to the first mentioned unknown quantity of articles the further unknown quantity of articles,
• weighing the new total unknown quantity of articles,
• dividing the new total weight by the said average weight factor to give a new actual quotient,
• reducing the deviation of the new actual quotient from its nearest ideal quotient by the said stored deviation to give an adjusted new actual quotient,
• comparing the adjusted new actual quotient with its nearest ideal quotient to determine whether the adjusted new actual quotient differs from its nearest ideal quotient by more or less than a predetermined deviation, and
• as a result of the outcome of the comparison step, carrying out at least one of the following steps, namely
• if the new adjusted actual quotient differs from its nearest ideal quotient by less than a predetermined deviation, the step of deriving from the said ideal quotient nearest the new adjusted actual quotient a signal representative of the number and/or value of the total combined quantities of articles by means of a signal derived from the said nearest ideal quotient, and
• if the new adjusted actual quotient differs from its nearest ideal quotient by more than the predetermined deviation, the step of indicating a warning that a reliable number and/or value of the total combined quantities of articles cannot be given.

A method of measuring by use of a weighing and processing apparatus the number and/or value of an unknown quantity of articles which have been subjected to a modifying process, comprising:

• entering into the weighing and processing apparatus a record of an average weight factor related to an average unit weight of the articles to be measured, said step of entering said average weight factor comprising entering an average weight factor of articles of the same type as the modified articles but before being subjected to the said modifying process, and multiplying the average weight factor of the unmodified articles by a modifying factor to give an average weight factor of a modified article;
• weighing an unknown quantity of articles;
• dividing the total weight of the weighed articles by the said average weight factor to give an actual quotient;
• comparing the actual quotient with the nearest ideal quotient to determine whether the actual quotient differs from the nearest ideal quotient by more or less than a predetermined deviation;
• and
• as a result of the outcome of the comparison step, carrying out at least one of the following steps, namely
• if the actual quotient differs from the nearest ideal quotient by less than a predetermined deviation, the step of indicating the number and/or value of the quantity of articles weighed by means of a signal derived from the said nearest ideal quotient, and
• if the actual quotient differs from the nearest ideal quotient by more than the predetermined deviation, the step of indicating a warning that a reliable number and/or value of the quantity of articles weighed cannot be given.

A method of measuring the number and/or value of an unknown quantity of used bank notes or like notes by use of a weighing and computing apparatus, comprising the steps of

• weighing a known quantity of unused bank notes or equivalent substitute notes,
• dividing the total weight of the unused notes by the known number of notes to give a unit weight of an unused note,
• multiplying the resulting unit weight of an unused note by a modifying factor to give an average unit weight of a used note,
• weighing an unknown quantity of used notes,
• dividing the total weight of the used notes by the said average unit weight of a used note,
• comparing the quotient with the nearest whole number to determine whether the quotient differs from the nearest whole number by more or less than a predetermined deviation, said predetermined deviation having a value selected to lie in the range greater than 0.3 and less than 0.4, and
• as a result of the outcome of the comparison step, carrying out at least one of the following steps, namely
• if the quotient differs from the nearest whole number by less than a predetermined deviation, the step of indicating the number and/or value of the quantity of used notes weighed by means of a signal derived from the said whole number, and
• if the quotient differs from the nearest whole number by more than the predetermined deviation, the step of indicating a warning that a reliable output number and/or value for the quantity of used notes weighed cannot be given.

Apparatus for measuring the number and/or value of an unknown quantity of articles comprising:

• weighing means for weighing an unknown quantity of articles and for generating signals representative of the weight measured by said weighing means;
• processing means connected to receive said signals from said weighing means representative of said weight measured by said weighing means;
• and
• indicator means connected to an output of said processing means for indicating the information content of output signals of said processing means;
• said processing means comprising
• means for dividing the total weight of the weighed articles by an average weight factor related to an average unit weight of the articles which has been previously entered into said apparatus, said dividing means of providing a first actual quotient equal to said total weight divided by said average weight factor;
• means for comparing the actual quotient with the nearest ideal quotient, to determine whether the actual quotient differs from said nearest ideal quotient by more or less than a predetermined deviation;
• means for deriving from said nearest ideal quotient a signal representative of the number and/or value of said quantity of articles weighed;
• means for generating a warning signal if said quotient differs from the said nearest ideal quotient by more than the predetermined deviation;
• and
• means for storing information relating to said first mentioned unknown quantity of articles weighed for which said total weight, actual quotient, and deviation have been determined,
• said weighing means being arranged for weighing a further total weight of a combination of said first unknown quantity of articles and a second unknown quantity of articles subsequently added to said first quantity,
• said processing means being arranged for repeating with regard to the combined weight of said first and second quantities of articles the steps carried out with regard to the weight of said first quantity, and being arranged to adjust the items concerned in the quotient comparison so as to remove from the deviation of the new actual quotient from its nearest ideal quotient the effect of the previous deviation of the first actual quotient from its nearest ideal quotient.

Apparatus for measuring the number and/or value of an unknown quantity of articles comprising:

• weighing means for weighing an unknown quantity of articles and for generating signals representative of the weight measured by said weighing means;
• processing means connected to receive said signals from sa d weighing means representative of said weight measured by said weighing means;
• and
• indicator means connected to an output of said processing means for indicating the information content of output signals of said processing means;
• said processing means comprising:
• means for dividing the total weight of the weighed articles by an average weight factor related to an average unit weight of the articles which has been previously entered into said apparatus, said dividing means providing a first actual quotient equal to said total weight divided by said average weight factor;
• means for comparing the actual quotient with the nearest ideal quotient to determine whether the actual quotient differs from said nearest ideal quotient by more or less than a predetermined deviation;
• means for deriving from said nearest ideal quotient a signal representative of the number and/or value of said quantity of articles weighed;
• means for generating a warning signal if said quotient differs from the said nearest ideal quotient by more than the predetermined deviation;
• means for storing said deviation of said first actual quotient from its nearest ideal quotient;
• means for dividing the new total weight of the combined quantities by said average weight factor;
• means for reducing the deviation of the new actual quotient from its nearest ideal quotient by said stored deviation;
• means for comparing the adjusted new actual quotient with its nearest ideal quotient to determine whether the adjusted new actual quotient differs from the nearest ideal quotient by more or less than a predetermined deviation;
• means for deriving from said ideal quotient nearest to said new actual quotient a signal representative of the number and/or value of the total combined quantities of articles weighed;
• and
• means for generating a warning signal if said adjusted new actual quotient differs from its said nearest ideal quotient by more than the predetermined deviation.

Apparatus for measuring the number and/or value of an unknown quantity of articles which have been subjected to a modifying process, comprising:

• weighing means for weighing an unknown quantity of articles and for generating signals representative of the weight measured by said weighing means;
• processing means connected to receive said signals from said weighing means representative of said weight measured by said weighing means;
• and
• indicator means connected to an output of said processing means for indicating the information content of output signals of said processing means;
• said processing means comprising:
• means for entering into the apparatus an average weight factor related to an average unit weight of the articles, said means for entering the said average weight factor of the articles to be measured comprising means for entering an average weight factor related to an average unit weight of articles of the same type as the articles to be measured but before being subjected to the said modifying process, and means for multiplying the weight factor of said unmodified articles by a modifying factor to give an average weight factor of a modified article;
• means for dividing the total weight of the weighed articles by said average weight factor to provide an actual quotient equal to said total weight divided by said average weight factor;
• means for comparing the actual quotient with the nearest ideal quotient, to determine whether the actual quotient differs from said nearest ideal quotient by more or less than a predetermined deviation;
• means for deriving from said nearest ideal quotient a signal representative of the number and/or value of said quantity of articles weighed;
• and
• means for generating a warning signal if said quotient differs from the said nearest ideal quotient by more than the predetermined deviation.

Apparatus for measuring the number and/or value of an unknown quantity of used bank notes or like notes comprising:

• weighing means for weighing an unknown quantity of notes;
• processing means connected to receive from the weighing means signals representative of the weight measured by the weighing means;
• and
• indicator means connected to an output of said processing means for indicating the information content of output signals of the said processing means,
• said processing means comprising:
• means for dividing the total weight of said weighed articles by an average unit weight of said articles previously entered in said apparatus to give a quotient;
• means for comparing the quotient with the nearest whole number to determine whether said quotient differs from said nearest whole number by more or less than a predetermined deviation, said predetermined deviation having a value selected to lie in the range greater than 0.3 and less than 0.4;
• means for deriving from said whole number a signal representative of the number and/or value of the quantity of articles weighed;
• and
• means for generating a warning signal if said quotient differs from said nearest whole number by more than said predetermined deviation.