Currency removal sensor system

A currency removal sensor system for detecting removal of cash from a cash drawer with a bottom surface comprising:

• a magnetic field sensor positioned at a predetermined location in the drawer bottom surface, the sensor detecting the presence of a magnetic field and being coupled to alarm circuitry to initiate an alarm sequence upon detecting said magnetic field;
• a removable currency tray positionable in the drawer on top of the drawer bottom surface and including at least one currency compartment with a bottom surface and a generally planar back wall of a defined height to hold currency, the tray and drawer being free from direct electrical connection together and the tray being positionable in the drawer such that the magnetic field sensor is located below said currency compartment and is proximate the back wall of the compartment;
• an elongated clip device including a field-generating element positioned at an outward end of the clip device for generating a magnetic field outwardly from said outward end in the longitudinal direction of the clip device, the clip device mounted at an inward end to pivot from the back wall of the currency compartment at a point spaced above the bottom surface of the currency compartment;
• the clip device being dimensioned in length less than the height of the back wall end operable to pivot to a downward position wherein the clip device lies against the back wall in a vertical plane generally parallel to the plane of the back wall for being generally unnoticeable in the currency compartment, when in the downward position, the clip device suspending said field-generating element vertically above the field sensor to generate a magnetic field downwardly and in a direction generally vertically co-planar with the field sensor, the downwardly directed magnetic field having an effective strength to be detectable by said field sensor when the tray is installed in the drawer;
• the clip device further being operable to pivot to an upward position wherein the elongated clip extends in a plane angled from the plane of the back wall and maintains the field-generating element away from the back wall such that the field generating element generates a field outwardly from the back wall and away from the field sensor so as not to be detected by said field sensor when the tray is installed in the drawer;
• whereby when the clip device is held in its upward position by a stack of currency, the removable currency tray with said stack of currency therein may be quickly and easily removed from and returned to the cash drawer without initiating an alarm sequence, however, removing currency from under the clip when the tray is in the drawer causes the clip device to move to the downward position generally noticed within the currency compartment to initiate an alarm sequence without visually indicating the presence of an alarm.