U.S. patent number 3,570,643 [Application Number 04/777,328] was granted by the patent office on 1971-03-16 for record carrier controlled money dispensing apparatus.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Ostertag-Werke AG. Invention is credited to Heinz F. Maierhofer.
United States Patent |
3,570,643 |
Maierhofer |
March 16, 1971 |
RECORD CARRIER CONTROLLED MONEY DISPENSING APPARATUS
Abstract
A money-dispensing apparatus dispenses an amount of money in
accordance with recordings on an inserted withdrawal record carrier
only if an identifying record carrier assigned to a specific
account is simultaneously inserted. The record carriers are sensed,
and the sensed information compared with information contained in a
center storage in order to prevent fraudulent or erroneous
withdrawal of money.
Inventors: |
Maierhofer; Heinz F.
(Unterkochen/Wurttemberg, DT) |
Assignee: |
Ostertag-Werke AG (Aalen
Wurttemberg, DT)
|
Family
ID: |
25109950 |
Appl.
No.: |
04/777,328 |
Filed: |
November 20, 1968 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
194/213; 902/5;
902/16; 902/13; 902/17 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G07F
7/12 (20130101); G07F 7/08 (20130101); G07F
19/202 (20130101); G07F 19/20 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
G07F
19/00 (20060101); G07F 7/12 (20060101); G07f
001/06 () |
Field of
Search: |
;194/4,6,7 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Tollberg; Stanley H.
Claims
I claim:
1. Money-dispensing apparatus, comprising in combination, casing
means having an outlet for money, first and second supporting
means, and first and second insertion openings adjacent to and
leading to said first and second supporting means, respectively,
said first supporting means being adapted to support a withdrawal
record carrier having first recordings including monetary
recordings representing a selected amount of money, and first
identifying recordings, in a sensing position after insertion of
the same through said first opening; first sensing means disposed
adjacent said first supporting means and including amount-sensing
means for sensing said monetary records, and identity-sensing means
for sensing said identifying recordings of said withdrawal record
carrier in said sensing position; an identifying record carrier
having second recordings including second identifying recordings
representing the same identifying information as said first
identifying recordings, said identifying record carrier being
formed for manual insertion and removal through said second opening
and having a sensing position supported on said second supporting
means; second sensing means disposed adjacent said second
supporting means for sensing said second identifying recordings of
said second recordings in said sensing positions of said
identifying record carrier; money-dispensing means for dispensing
money through said outlet; and control circuit means connected with
said first and second sensing means for receiving signals from the
same, and including an amount circuit connecting said amount
sensing means with said dispensing means for setting the latter to
the selected and sensed amount, and comparison means for comparing
the information represented by said first and second identifying
recordings, respectively, and sensed by said identity-sensing means
of said first sensing means and by said second sensing means, said
comparison device generating a control signal when said first and
second identifying recordings match, said control circuit means
causing dispensing of the amount to which said dispensing means is
set by said amount circuit under the control of said amount-sensing
means only when said comparison device generates said control
signal.
2. Money-dispensing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said
first and second sensing means have means for sensing invisible
recordings on said first and second record carriers.
3. Money-dispensing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said
money-dispensing means includes a plurality of dispensing means for
dispensing different types of money; and comprising selector means
on said casing means for selecting one of said dispensing
means.
4. Money-dispensing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said
control circuit means includes means for controlling said
money-dispensing means for limiting the dispensing of money to a
predetermined amount within at least a business day.
5. Money-dispensing apparatus comprising, in combination, casing
means having an outlet for money, first and second supporting
means, and first and second insertion openings adjacent and leading
to said first and second supporting means, said first and second
supporting means being adapted to support inserted first and second
record carriers having first and second recordings, respectively,
representing first and second informations concerning a
money-dispensing operation; first and second sensing means for
sensing said first and second record carriers, respectively, on
said first and second supporting means, and being located adjacent
said first and second supporting means, respectively;
money-dispensing means for dispensing money through said outlet;
and control circuit means connected with said first and second
sensing means for receiving first and second signals from the same
and including comparison means for comparing at least the sensed
first and second informations, said circuit means being connected
with said money-dispensing means and causing a money-dispensing
operation of the same under control of said comparison device; said
control circuit means including storage means for storing
information and being located remote from said casing at a central
station and adapted to be connected with the control circuit means
of other money-dispensing apparatus controlled by first and second
record carriers, said interrogating means being connected with said
storage means.
6. Money-dispensing apparatus comprising, in combination, casing
means having an outlet for money, first and second supporting
means, and first and second insertion openings adjacent and leading
to said first and second supporting means, said first and second
supporting means being adapted to support inserted first and second
record carriers having first and second recordings, respectively,
representing first and second informations concerning a
money-dispensing operation; first and second sensing means for
sensing said first and second record carriers, respectively, on
said first and second supporting means, and being located adjacent
said first and second supporting means, respectively;
money-dispensing means for dispensing money through said outlet
including testing means for testing the length and thickness of
dispensed bills, and for retaining bills adhering to each other;
and control circuit means connected with said first and second
sensing means for receiving first and second signals from the same
and including comparison means for comparing at least the sensed
first and second informations, said circuit means being connected
with said money-dispensing means and causing a money-dispensing
operation of the same under control of said comparison device.
7. Money-dispensing apparatus comprising, in combination, casing
means having an outlet for money, first and second supporting
means, first and second insertion openings adjacent and leading to
said first and second supporting means, said casing having
protective wall means including a door, and comprising a support
wall for mounting said casing in a position in which said door is
located on the outside of said support wall and can be opened for
access to said first and second insertion openings and to said
outlet, said first and second supporting means being adapted to
support inserted first and second record carriers having first and
second recordings, respectively, representing first and second
informations concerning a money-dispensing operation; first and
second sensing means for sensing said first and second record
carriers, respectively, on said first and second supporting means,
and being located adjacent said first and second supporting means,
respectively; money dispensing means for dispensing money through
said outlet; and control circuit means connected with said first
and second sensing means for receiving first and second signals
from the same and including comparison means for comparing at least
the sensed first and second informations, said circuit means being
connected with said money-dispensing means and causing a
money-dispensing operation of the same under control of said
comparison device.
8. Money-dispensing apparatus as claimed in claim 7, and including
means located in said casing for maintaining a substantially
constant temperature in the same.
9. Money-dispensing apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein said
door has first and second locks adapted to be opened by the same
key; said first lock preventing insertion of the key into said
second lock until said first lock is opened by said key.
10. Money-dispensing apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein said
casing has another door located inside of said support wall for
access to the interior of said casing.
11. Money-dispensing apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein said
casing has a metal wall, and an inner lining forming an armor.
12. Money-dispensing apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein said
armor includes concrete.
13. Money-dispensing apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein said
armor includes a cast hard metal plate.
14. Money-dispensing device as claimed in claim 11, wherein said
armor includes thick hardened steel plates.
15. Money-dispensing apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein said
casing includes a layer of granulated sulfur between said metal
wall and said lining.
16. Money-dispensing apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein said
outlet, and said first and second insertion openings are slots
coverable by said door.
17. Money-dispensing apparatus, comprising, in combination, casing
means having an outlet for money, first and second supporting
means, and first and second insertion openings adjacent to and
leading to said first and second supporting means, respectively,
said first supporting means being adapted to support a withdrawal
record carrier having first recordings representing at least
monetary information in a sensing position after insertion of the
same through said first opening; first sensing means disposed
adjacent said first supporting means for sensing said first
recordings of said withdrawal record carrier in said sensing
position; and identifying record carrier having second recordings
representing identifying information, said identifying record
carrier being formed for manual insertion and removal through said
second opening and having a sensing position supported on said
second supporting means, said identifying record carrier having a
manually operable portion projecting from said second insertion
opening in said sensing position thereof so that said identifying
record carrier can be inserted and removed by a person; comprising
transportation means in said casing for transporting said
withdrawal record carrier from said first insertion opening to said
sensing position and including a start switch located adjacent said
second supporting means, said identifying record carrier in said
sensing position thereof actuating said start switch so that said
transporting means transports said withdrawal record carrier to
said sensing position; second sensing means disposed adjacent said
second supporting means for sensing said second recordings in said
sensing positions of said identifying record carrier;
money-dispensing means for dispensing money through said outlet;
and control circuit means connected with said first and second
sensing means for receiving signals from the same, and including
comparison means for comparing information sensed by said first and
second sensing means, storage means containing information
regarding accounts represented by identifying record carriers, and
interrogating means for said storage means connected with said
comparison device, said control circuit means being connected with
said money dispensing means and causing a money-dispensing
operation of the same when permitted by said storage means.
18. Money-dispensing apparatus, comprising, in combination, casing
means having an outlet for money, first and second supporting
means, and first and second insertion openings adjacent to and
leading to said first and second supporting means, respectively,
said first supporting means being adapted to support a withdrawal
record carrier having first recordings representing at least
monetary information in a sensing position after insertion of the
same through said first opening; first sensing means disposed
adjacent said first supporting means for sensing said first
recordings of said withdrawal record carrier in said sensing
position; an identifying record carrier having second recordings
representing identifying information, said identifying record
carrier being formed for manual insertion and removal through said
second opening and having a sensing position supported on said
second supporting means; second sensing means disposed adjacent
said second supporting means for sensing said second recordings in
said sensing positions of said identifying record carrier;
money-dispensing means for dispensing money through said outlet;
and control circuit means connected with said first and second
sensing means for receiving signals from the same, and including
comparison means for comparing information sensed by said first and
second sensing means, storage means containing information
regarding accounts represented by identifying record carriers, and
interrogating means for said storage means connected with said
comparison device, said control circuit means being connected with
said money-dispensing means and causing a money dispensing
operation of the same when permitted by said storage means, said
storage means storing information regarding a plurality of accounts
represented by different identifying record carriers, and
preventing the operation of said money-dispensing means by said
control circuit means when a sensed identifying record carrier
represents a predetermined stopped account.
19. Money-dispensing apparatus as claimed in claim 17, wherein said
comparison means is controlled by said first and second sensing
means and connected with said transporting means for reversing the
same when recordings sensed by said first and second sensing means
on said record carriers do not match so that said withdrawal record
carrier is ejected from said first insertion opening.
20. Money-dispensing apparatus as claimed in claim 19, and
including other transporting means for transporting said withdrawal
record carrier from said sensing position to a storage area of said
casing and being actuated by said comparison means when the
recordings sensed by said first and second sensing means match.
21. Money-dispensing apparatus as claimed in claim 20, wherein said
second sensing means control said other transporting means to
transport said withdrawal record carrier to another storage area of
said casing when sensing incorrect second recordings whereby
fraudulent withdrawal record carriers are separated from authorized
withdrawal record carriers.
22. Money-dispensing apparatus as claimed in claim 21, wherein said
other transporting means include a reversible transporting roller;
and wherein said storage areas are located on opposite sides of
said first supporting means; and wherein said second sensing means
cause reversal of the direction of rotation of said transporting
roller upon sensing a fraudulent identifying record carrier.
23. Money-dispensing apparatus as claimed in claim 18, wherein said
control circuit means store in said storage means information
regarding withdrawal of money; and wherein said control circuit
means prevents the operation of said money-dispensing means when
said storage means indicates the withdrawal of a predetermined
amount within a given time period.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Money-dispensing apparatus is known, and in accordance with the
prior art, a card serves as identification or as withdrawal slip,
comparable to a check. It is necessary to dial or select by
operation of pushbuttons, a code number assigned to the respective
account and its owner whenever money is to be withdrawn. The
operation of the known money-dispensing apparatus requires manual
selection of a code number, which causes errors. It is not only
necessary to select the correct code number, but the code number
must be correctly remembered, before it is selected.
A particular disadvantage of the apparatus to the prior art in
which selecting of a code number is required, is the possibility
for strangers to learn the code number without being noticed by the
owner of an account operating the money-dispensing apparatus. For
example, a stranger can look over the shoulder of the person
operating the selector buttons, and memorize the number for a
fraudulent operation. It is also possible to photograph the
operation of the apparatus by an authorized person by means of a
telephoto lens. If the record carrier by which the apparatus is
controlled falls into the hands of an unauthorized person, who also
acquires knowledge of the code number, such a person can
fraudulently operate the apparatus to withdraw money which will be
debited to the account of the person whose code number was
fraudulently appropriated.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is one object of the invention to overcome the disadvantages of
prior art apparatus for dispensing money, and to provide a
money-dispensing apparatus from which money can not be fraudulently
withdrawn.
Another object of the invention is to provide a money-dispensing
apparatus which is not provided with manually operated selector
means for selecting an account number.
Another object of the invention is to operate a money-dispensing
apparatus under the control of two different record carriers on
which the coding marks or recordings of identifying record carrier
and of an withdrawal record carrier 44 are respectively providing a
code signal which is sensed and fed into the checking circuit in
which both code signals are compared with each other and
checked.
According to the checking result, certain commands are given,
causing dispensing means to dispense a certain amount of money.
Each code signal may indicate any given information, essential is
only the conformity of the tags.
The coding marks or recordings may be scanned or sensed by a light
beam or also mechanically, for instance by sensing pins.
The two carriers may be designed in such a manner that by
recordings or coding marks, on one carrier, a certain amount of
money is dispensed. The recordings of both carriers comprise the
account number of the withdrawing person.
The operation of the money-dispensing apparatus under the control
of two record carriers is extremely easy. To receive an amount of
money, it is only necessary to insert the two record carriers into
openings or slots. The apparatus automatically tests the record
carriers and then dispenses the certain amount of money. The risk
of fraudulent operation is extremely small, since the loss or theft
of a record carrier can be reported to the bank providing the
money-dispensing apparatus, whereupon dispensing of money of the
respective account can be immediately stopped to prevent a
withdrawal by an unauthorized person.
It is advantageous to provide the record carriers with visible
and/or invisible markings which are sensed and checked in the
apparatus so that false record carriers cannot be used for
operating the apparatus.
In order to test and check the inserted record carriers, sensing
means may either read the recordings of the two record carriers and
check their respective information by comparing the same with
information at a storage storing information regarding all
accounts, or the information read out from the recordings of the
two record carriers are compared, and money dispensed only if they
are compatible.
The arrangement may be such that both record carriers are removed
and retained by the customer after dispensing of money. However, in
a preferred embodiment, one record carrier remains in the apparatus
after the information thereon has been sensed, checked, and
accepted, and is refused and ejected after sensing and checking has
had the result that the record carrier is not acceptable. Such an
arrangement has the substantial advantage that the respective
retained record carrier serves as a withdrawal slip or receipt
which is held by the bank, so that the respective retained record
carriers can be checked every day by bank personnel to debit the
respective accounts with the withdrawn amounts of money. Therefore,
one of the record carriers is used as withdrawal record carrier
forming a receipt, and remains in the apparatus after use, while
the other record carrier is again manually withdrawn by the
customer after the same has received the requested money, and is
retained by the customer as an identifying record carrier, similar
to a credit card. The two record carriers may consist of the same
material, but the identifying record carrier may be of stronger
construction than the withdrawal record carrier in view of the fact
that it is carried about by the customer.
It is possible that attempts are made to withdraw money by the
unauthorized use of record carriers which were lost or stolen. In
order to protect the customer, the apparatus of the invention is
preferably constructed to refuse and eject withdrawal and
identifying record carriers, or to retain the same in a separate
storage area, without dispensing money, if the loss was reported to
the bank, and payment from the respective account stopped.
Information regarding the stopped account can be stored at an
electronic storage device which is interrogated every time record
carriers are inserted into the apparatus, and sensed in the
same.
The placing of accepted and refused record carriers at different
storage areas of the apparatus, facilitates the control of the
accounts by bank personnel.
A further safety measure for preventing substantial financial
losses to the customer by fraudulent use of record carriers is the
limiting of amount of money which can be paid out within a
predetermined time, for example within 24 hours. If an unauthorized
person acquires the record carriers, and operates the apparatus
with the same, he cannot withdraw within a day more than a limited
amount, which is only a part of the amount which the customer is
entitled during a week or a month. After a day, the customer may
detect the loss of the record carriers, and request the bank to
stop payment on the account, or he may be informed by the bank in a
daily report that money was withdrawn from his account on the
preceding day, which would alert the customer to the use of the
record carrier by somebody else so that the customer can stop
payment on his account.
The security of the proper payment of money is also increased for
the bank since the limited amounts which may be paid each day,
makes it possible for the bank to determine whether the person
using the record carriers is actually still entitled to withdraw
money, and has a sufficient deposit at the bank.
The apparatus of the invention includes an interrogation device
which receives information regarding the record carriers by sensing
means, and then interrogates a storage device in which information
regarding all accounts is stored. Such interrogation may take place
upon insertion and sensing of only one record carrier, or upon
sensing of identifying recordings on both record carriers. The
interrogation of the storage means may also take place after the
sensing means and the comparison device have compared the
information recorded on both record carriers. A control circuit
prevents the apparatus to dispense money if the check by the
interrogation device proves that payment on the inserted record
carriers has been stopped.
The interrogation device and the storage of information for all
accounts may be provided in the casing of the apparatus. The
storage means may include a tape, or an electronic memory device.
The control circuit may contain sensing means, scanning devices,
and read out devices. It is advantageous to combine the control
circuit, interrogation device, and storage device in one electronic
control apparatus by which the dispensing means are controlled to
dispense bills. In such an arrangement, the information regarding
the accounts of the customer using the respective apparatus is
stored in the apparatus.
However, a bank may have a number of money-dispensing devices
according to the invention at different branch offices, in which
event the storage means for the information regarding all accounts
at all branch offices, is a central unit provided at the head
office of the bank, and connected by cables, for example telephone
cables, to the dispensing devices at the several branch
offices.
The dispensing of money can take place in different ways. In the
preferred embodiment of the invention, bills are stacked, and are
singly dispensed by a reciprocating dispensing roller. A drum with
sectors holding bills, or a conveyor band with compartments for
holding bills may be also used. It is also possible to dispense
with each operation, a roll of wrapped coins, or coins packed in
plastic bags. Also, boxes made of steel, aluminum, plastic material
or wood may be singly dispensed and contain a predetermined amount
of money.
The apparatus may be designed so that each withdrawal record
carrier which is inserted, checked and retained by the apparatus,
entitles the customer to a predetermined amount of money. However,
a selector is advantageously provided for selecting the value or
denomination of the bills preferred by the customer. Pushbuttons
may be provided for this purpose.
In the embodiment of the invention in which single bills are
dispensed from a stack of bills, it is preferred to provide a
testing apparatus which senses the bills separated from the stack
to determine thickness and length of the same, so that two new
bills adhering to each other cannot be dispensed as a single unit.
Adhering bills are rejected and retained in a separate container,
and the dispensing mechanism is again automatically actuated to
dispense the next following single bill. Consequently, the customer
receives the requested money without losing his accepted withdrawal
record carrier.
The apparatus of the invention is preferably constructed to permit
its use day and night, and while the bank is closed. The apparatus
is mounted on a support wall one side of which is accessible from
the street for customers, while the interior of the casing where
money and accept withdrawal record carriers are held, is accessible
through another door from an office of the bank inside of the
support wall. The inner door is used for removing stored withdrawal
record carriers, and for adding bills to the stack of the
dispensing means. In order to prevent disturbances of the function
of the apparatus by extreme heat or cold, it is advantageous to
provide a climatizing apparatus, such as an air conditioner, in the
casing of the apparatus.
To increase the safety of the operation, the door on the outside of
the apparatus, which is accessible from the street and the
apparatus have outer protective walls of armor plate, and the door
is provided with a double lock which is operated by the same key
retained by the customer.
One embodiment of the invention comprises a casing having an outlet
for money, first and second supporting means, and first and second
insertion openings leading to the first and second supporting means
which are respectively adapted to support first and second record
carriers in sensing positions in which recordings thereon can be
sensed by first and second sensing means. A control circuit
connects the sensing means with money-dispensing means, and permits
the dispensing of money only if the control circuit accepts the
record carriers after checking the information sensed from the
recordings on the same by the sensing means.
In the preferred embodiment of the invention, a withdrawal record
carrier and an identifying record carrier are inserted and sensed,
and the accepted withdrawal record carrier is retained by the
apparatus, while the customer can pull out the identifying record
carrier from the respective insertion opening of the apparatus and
retain the identifying record carrier.
The control circuit preferably includes comparison means for
comparing the information sensed by the two sensing means sensing
the withdrawal record carrier and the identifying record carrier.
Interrogating means are provided in the control circuit for
checking information regarding all accounts represented by the
identifying record carrier so that no money is dispensed when
payment from the account represented by the inserted identifying
record carrier has been stopped.
The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the
invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The
invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its
method of operation, together with additional objects and
advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following
description of specific embodiments when read in connection with
the accompanying drawing.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
FIG. 1 is a front view of an apparatus according to the invention
with the outer door opened;
FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 2-2 in FIG. 1,
the devices located in the casing being omitted for the sake of
clarity;
FIG. 3 is a schematic elevational view of an apparatus according to
the invention including electronic storage means;
FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic view illustrating a number of dispensing
apparatuses electrically connected with a central storage
means;
FIG. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating a
transporting roller for separately storing accepted and rejected
withdrawal record carriers;
FIG. 6 is a fragmentary schematic plan view illustrating
money-dispensing means provided in the casing of the apparatus of
FIG. 3;
FIG. 7 is a plan view illustrating an identifying record
carrier;
FIG. 8 is a plan view illustrating a withdrawal record carrier;
FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 9-9 in FIG. 7;
FIG. 10 is a front view illustrating the keyhole of an outer lock
provided on the outer door of the apparatus; and
FIG. 11 is a horizontal sectional view illustrating two locks for
the outer door.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring first to FIGS. 1 and 2, a steel casing 10 is mounted on a
supporting wall 12 and has an inner door 14 permitting access to
the interior of the casing from the inside of a bank building. The
casing is lined with armor plate 16. The casing may be further
surrounded by a protective envelope consisting of granulated
sulfur.
The front wall 20 of casing 10 is set back from the outer surface
of support wall 12 and has two insertion openings 30 and 28, and an
outlet opening 32. A protective casing 24 has a door 22 which
permits access to the insertion opening 28, 30 and to outlet
opening 32. FIG. 1 shows door 22 opened and permitting access to
the front wall 20 of casing 10.
The bolts of door 22 are locked by two locks, as best seen in FIGS.
10 and 11.
The lock housing 56 is welded to the rear face of a portion 158 of
door 20 and envelopes two aligned locks 160 and 162. Lock 160 has a
key slot consisting of two slot portions 164 and 166 to which key
168 fits so that lock 160 can be turned 90.degree. to a position in
which key slot 164, 166 registers with the key slot 170, 172 of the
second lock 162, and can be inserted into the same. When key 168 is
now further turned 90.degree., lock 162 opens the bolts of the
door. A cover plate 168 closes the outside of lock 160, and is
provided with the key slot 164, -166.
Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 3, the outlet slot 32 is provided for
dispensed money, and shown in FIG. 3 above the insertion openings
28 and 30, while actually positioned laterally of the same, as
shown in FIG. 1.
A withdrawal record carrier 44 which constitutes a receipt for
dispensed money is inserted into the insertion opening 28. FIG. 8
shows a withdrawal record carrier 44 in the form of a card provided
with punched holes 154 or other recordings partially representing
information regarding the amount of money to be withdrawn and
partially the identifying account number. The same information may
be printed or written on the card. It is possible to provide record
carrier 44 with invisible markings, for example metal foils between
two layers of paper.
An identifying record carrier 42 can be inserted into insertion
opening 30. As shown in FIG. 7, the identifying record carrier 42
is a stiff small plate provided with circular punched holes 50
arranged in accordance with a code for representing the identifying
account number. Invisible markings, for example in the form of
inserted metal foil pieces 152 may be provided between two layers
of the record carrier 42, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 9.
When the identifying record carrier 42 is inserted into insertion
opening 30, it rests on a supporting plate 34, and when its leading
end abuts a stop 38, the coded identifying recordings 150 can be
sensed by a sensing means 46. In this sensing position, record
carrier 42 has a portion projecting out of opening 30 so that
record carrier 42 can be manually inserted into the apparatus, and
then retracted and removed by manual operation after the withdrawn
money has been dispensed.
During the insertion of identifying record carrier 42, its leading
end operates a switch 64 which is located in a circuit of an
electric motor 66a which drives through a belt drive 66b, a
transporting roller 66. Switch 64 is also located in the circuit of
an electric motor 62a which drives through a belt drive 62b, a
transporting roller 62. The circuit is connected to the terminals
of a voltage source 110, 112.
When a withdrawal record carrier 44 is inserted into opening 28,
its leading edge touches transporting roller 62. Thereupon, the
identification record carrier 42 is inserted into opening 30, so
that switch 64 is operated, and starts motor 62a and 66a whereby
rollers 62 and 66 rotate about axes extending at right angles.
Transporting roller 62 transports the inserted withdrawal record
carrier 44 along supporting table 36 to a sensing position abutting
stop 40 and located under sensing means 48 which is connected into
a control circuit in which also sensing means 46 for identifying
the record carrier 42 is connected.
Motor 66a is reversible, so that transporting roller 66 can be
rotated in opposite direction. As shown in FIG. 5, transporting
roller 66 rotating in one direction, will place a withdrawal record
carrier 44 in storage area 70, and rotating in the opposite
direction, will place record carrier 44 in storage area 68. The
reversal of motor 66a and of transporting roller 66 is carried out
by the control circuit which includes sensing means 48 and 46, and
depends on the information sensed by the sensing means, as will be
explained hereinafter. Acceptable withdrawal record carriers are
placed in storage container 68, and fraudulently inserted
withdrawal record carriers are placed in storage container 70.
Money-dispensing means 76 are also disposed in casing 10 and
comprise three dispensing means 122, 124, 126 which are operable to
feed single bills from three stacks 74 into three channels 128,
130, 132 of a testing device 78 from where the bills are
transported by transporting means 140 including an electric motor
and a transporting roller 142 until dispensed through outlet
32.
A selecting device 114 has three pushbuttons 116, 118, and 120
connected by electric circuits to the dispensing means 122, 124,
126, respectively, so that a type of money can be selected by the
customer. For example, one dispensing means may dispense $100
bills, the second $50 bills, and the third $20 bills.
The three parts of testing device 78 test the length and thickness
of each dispensed bill. Only single correctly fed bills are
dispensed through outlet 32, and can be taken out by the person
operating the apparatus. When two bills stick together, which may
occur with new bills, this is detected by the testing device 78,
and such bills are deposited in a receptacle 80.
An air conditioning apparatus 82 is preferably provided in the
casing for maintaining a uniform temperature and humidity
irrespective of the temperature and humidity outside of supporting
wall 12 so that the temperature in the casing is returned to a
normal level after each opening of door 22.
In order to receive a bill, the identifying record carrier 42 is
manually inserted to opening 30 so that stop switch 64 closes the
circuit of motor 62a, and transporting roller 62 starts to rotate.
When the withdrawal record carrier 40 is inserted into opening 28,
it is transported by transporting roller 62 to a sensing position
located under sensing means 48, and under transporting roller 66.
In the meantime, identifying record carrier 42 was pushed to the
sensing position in which its leading end abuts stop 38 so that
sensing means 46 senses the recordings on identifying record
carrier 42.
The control circuit of the apparatus includes, in addition to
sensing means 46 and 48, also a comparison device 54 connected to
an interrogation device 58 which is connected with a storage device
60 in which information regarding the accounts of all persons
having identifying record carriers is electronically stored.
Storage device 60 is electrically connected by a line 71 with the
money-dispensing means 72.
Sensing devices 46 and 48 sense the recordings on the record
carriers 42 and 44, and transmit signals to the comparison device
54. If the same determines that the identification record carrier
does not match the withdrawal record carrier, the direction of
rotation of transporting roller 62 is reversed by reversing motor
62a, and withdrawal record carrier 44 is ejected through opening
28, and not accepted.
In the event that the sensing means 46 and 48 find the
identification record carrier 42 compatible with the withdrawal
record carrier 44, rotation of transporting roller 66 is started in
such a direction that the accepted withdrawal record carrier 44 is
transported from supporting table 36 into the storage area 68, and
retained as a receipt.
If the sensing mean detect a fraudulent change on the withdrawal
record carrier 44, transporting roller 66 is driven in the opposite
direction, and deposits the questionable withdrawal record carrier
in the storage area 70.
Only when the information sensed by sensing means 46 and 48
properly matches, the interrogation device 58 is operated by signal
from the comparison device 54, and interrogates the storage device
60 whether the respective account, whose number is represented by
the recordings of the identifying record carrier 42, is entitled to
receive money.
In this manner, the dispensing of money can be automatically
prevented if loss or theft of the identifying record carrier was
previously reported to the bank. However, it is advantageous to
limit the amount which can be withdrawn within a predetermined
time, for example within one day, by any person having an account
so that in case of loss of withdrawal record carriers and the
identifying record carrier, only a limited amount can be
fraudulently withdrawn before the loss of theft is reported to the
bank. If storage device 60 is provided with such information, it is
not possible for the owner of the account to withdraw more than the
predetermined amount alloted for a day, and if the owner makes an
attempt to withdraw a greater amount, this is prevented by the
information received from the storage device 60 by the
interrogation device 58.
Only if the electronic control circuit has determined that
dispensing of the requested amount is in order, a control signal is
given through line 71 to the dispensing means 72, and the
respective amount previously sensed by amount sensing means of
sensing means 48 in amount recordings on withdrawal record carrier
49, is dispensed in having a selected denomination depending on
which pushbutton 116, 118, 120 was operated. The dispensed bills
are first tested by the testing device 78, and the dispensing of
two adhering bills is prevented, such bills being deposited in
container 80. At the same time, the money-dispensing means 72 is
automatically again operated to dispense a single bill.
After the dispensing of the withdrawn money has been completed, the
identifying record carrier 42 is pulled out opening 30 which causes
interruption of the electric circuits by opening of stop switch 64.
The key 168 is then used for locking door 22. In the embodiment of
FIG. 3, all required information is stored in a storing device 60
located in casing 10. In the modified embodiment of FIG. 4, several
independent money-dispensing devices 90 to 97 are located at branch
offices of the bank, and the electronic storage and control means
98 is located at the head office and connected with the money-
dispensing device 90 to 97 by electric conductors 100, for example
by telephone cables, so that money can be withdrawn at branch
offices under the control of the device 98 at the head office of
the bank.
It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or
two or more together, may also find a useful application in other
types of money dispensing devices differing from the types
described above.
While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied
in automatic money-dispensing apparatus controlled by a withdrawal
record carrier and by an identification record carrier, it is not
intended to be limited to the details shown, since various
modifications and structural changes may be made without departing
in any way from the spirit of the present invention.
What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters
Patent is set forth in the appended claims.
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