Sheet Counters

Abstract

Improvements in a sheet counter for use in counting bank notes and so forth, comprising a sheet holding mechanism and a sheet counting mechanism which includes a counting rotor having a plurality of rotary suction drums for successively separating by suction the sheets held in a pack in the sheet holding mechanism. The two primary improvements concern the sheet holding and sheet counting mechanisms, respectively, one being a device for securely holding a pack of sheets between a sheet holder plate and a holder check bar. The other is a device for stopping the counting rotor at the end of each counting operation in such a manner that one of its rotary suction drums is directed squarely toward the next pack of sheets to be counted. Instead of piano wire, as in the prior art, a solid bar complete with exclusive shock absorber means is employed for this purpose and slides over the periphery of the counting rotor until it drops into one of its notches.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to sheet counters, and particularly to improvements in sheet counters for use in counting bank notes and other sheets to be laminarly assembled into packs of more or less definite size.

Prior art sheet counters have been prone to miscounting because they generally start counting a pack of sheets somewhat loosely fed into them, without being firmly held or without necessarily being aligned neatly at their forward ends. Another frequent cause hampering correct counting operation is that the sheet mounts of the prior sheet counters have been cut short to aid in the counting of sheets, whereby a pack of sheets placed thereon tends to sag at its forward part under its own weight.

A further difficulty of the prior art makes its appearance at the end of counting of each pack of sheets, when a rotor having a plurality of rotary suction drums has to be stopped with the suction hole of one of its drums directed exactly toward the next pack of sheets to be counted. To this end, the periphery of the rotor has been formed with indentations corresponding in number to the suction drums and spaced apart at constant circumferential intervals. While the rotor is rotated in a reversed direction at the end of each counting operation, a stopper is inserted into one of its indentations so that one of the suction holes is oriented in the direction of the next pack of sheets to be counted.

This stopper as adapted in most prior sheet counters, however, has comprised a piece of piano wire, so that damage to itself or to the rotor has been more or less a matter of course due to the violent impact of rotor stoppage. The rotor thus stopped improperly is incapable of correct counting of the next pack of sheets.

Although there exist some stoppers that are specially heat treated for added strength, they are as yet unsatisfactory.

All these difficulties and inconveniences encountered in the prior art are successfully overcome by the improvements introduced by the present invention as described hereinbelow.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved sheet holding device in a sheet counter wherein a sheet mount is elongated fully up to a sheet supporter plate, with a minimum spacing therebetween, so that a pack of sheets mounted thereon is held securely.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved sheet holding device in a sheet counter such that the sheet counter does not start operation unless a pack of sheets to be counted is inserted completely therein up to a flange projection at the end of the sheet supporter plate ahead of the sheet mount.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved sheet holding device in a sheet counter wherein a pack of sheets is firmly caught in position by means of a sheet holder plate, a sheet holder pin, and a holder check bar throughout the counting operation, so that miscounts are substantially eliminated.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved rotor stopping device in a sheet counter wherein a stopper bar slides over one of the downward slopes formed on the periphery of a counting rotor between its transverse indentations until it falls into one of them, positively free from any possibility of overrunning.

An additional object of the invention is to provide an improved rotor stopping device in a sheet counter, wherein an exclusive shock absorbing means is provided in order to cushion possible shocks at stoppage.

With these objects and the other objects hereinafter set forth in view, the invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings showing examples thereof at present preferred.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a planar view showing an example of the sheet holding device of the present invention together with a counting rotor;

FIG. 2 is a side view of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a planar view of a counting rotor furnished with the rotor stopping device of the present invention; and

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a stopper bar inserted into one of the indentations formed on the periphery of the counting rotor in accordance with the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to the drawings, and first of all to FIGS. 1 and 2, a sheet mount 2 with an arcuate distal end is pivoted on a machine frame 1 by a vertical shaft 3. A spring 6 extending between a sheet holder pin 4 embeddedly fixed to the sheet mount 2 and another pin 5 fixed to the machine frame 1 is wrapped around the shaft 3, so that the sheet mount 2 is biased counterclockwise as viewed in FIG. 1.

An arcuate sheet supporter plate 8 is secured to the machine frame 1 ahead of the sheet mount 2, with a minimum spacing interval or clearance therebetween. The sheet supporter plate 8 is in the same plane as the sheet mount 2, and its convex or outer side is bent into a flange 9, against which a pack of sheets 36 to be counted is abutted, a depression 10 being formed on its lefthand side as viewed in FIG. 1.

In the left-hand direction, in FIG. 1, of the sheet supporter plate 8, a check member 11 adapted to prevent counterclockwise rotation of the sheet mount 2 is pivoted by a pin 12 and is biased clockwise by a spring 13. A release lever 14 is secured atop the check member 11, and has a bent part protruding into the flange 9 through the depression 10. Thus, as long, as the release lever 14 is not pressed forward by a pack of sheets 36, an edge 15 of the check member 11 is in contact with an edge 16 of the sheet mount 2, thereby preventing its counterclockwise rotation.

Reference numeral 17 designates a sheet holder plate and 18 designates a holder operating member pivoted on the shaft 3. Secured to the distal end of the holder operating member 18 is one of the ends of a U-shaped arm 19, the other end 20 of which is secured to the sheet holder plate 17. The holder operating member 18 is provided with a pin 21 fixed thereto for connection with a motor 23 by way of a link member 22. The pin 21 is inserted into a slot 24 in the link member 22 and is pressed toward its outer end by a spring 25.

Also pivoted on the shaft 3 is an arm member 31 provided with a holder check bar 30 at its free end and biased counterclockwise by the aforesaid spring 25. Members 30 and 31 form a limit device, and the holder check bar 30 protrudes past the machine frame 1 through a substantially arcuate slot 33 in order to limit the clockwise rotation of the sheet holder plate 17. The arm member 31 is provided with a projection 34 which, together with an adjusting screw 35, checks the counterclockwise rotation of the arm member 31.

The aforementioned spring 25 exerts a force such that the holder operating member 18 and the arm member 31 come angularly closer together. A spring 39 is adapted to cause the holder operating member 18 to turn clockwise together with the arm member 31.

The pack of sheets 36 is placed vertically on the sheet mount 2, in such a manner that the sheets are perpendicular to the mount 2, and one of its sides comes in contact with the sheet holder plate 17. As the pack is pressed into position, it trips the release lever 14 and thus disengages the check member 11 from the sheet mount 2. Because of the force of the spring 6, the sheet mount 2 then moves counterclockwise, so that the sheet holder pin 4 fixed to the sheet mount 2 presses the pack of sheets 36 against the sheet holder plate 17.

Then, as the motor 23, which is part of a transferring mechanism is switched on, the link member 22 gives a thrust to the holder operating member 18, whereupon the U-shaped arm 19 secured at the distal end of the holder operating member 18 presses the sheet holder plate 17 rightwardly as viewed in FIG. 1, with the result that the pack of sheets 36 is pressed against the holder check bar 30.

Hence, the forward or leading ends of the sheets 36 lean over one of a plurality of rotary suction drums 38 of a counting rotor 37. The detailed process of the counting of the sheets will become clear from the following description set forth with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4.

Notches 40 corresponding in number to the rotary suction drums 38 are provided to face radially at constant space intervals on the periphery of the counting rotor 37. Each peripheral edge between adjacent notches 40 slopes inward toward the rotational axis in the direction of normal counting rotor rotation, that is, the rotor 37 at its periphery decreases in radius from one notch 40 to the succeeding notch in the direction of rotation of the rotor, thereby preventing the overrunning of a stopper 42 and to cushion possible violent impact at stoppage.

Reference numeral 43 designates a rod loosely and slidably inserted at one end 48 through the stopper 42 and at the other end into a fixture member 44. A pin 46 inserted transversely into the end 45 of the rod 43 prevents its detachment out of the fixture member 44, while a nut 49 is screwed onto the other end 48 of the rod 43 in order to prevent the detachment of the stopper 42 therefrom. A coil spring 47 is disposed around the rod 43 over a length between the stopper 42 and the fixture member 44 in order to resiliently support the stopper 42.

A plate 50 is secured to a side of the fixture member 44. A slot 51 is cut near the end of the plate 50 nearest the stopper, and inserted therein is the end of the stopper 42 opposite the working end thereof. In the case where the stopper 42 is prevented from becoming detached off the rod 43 solely by the slot 51, the aforesaid nut 49 may be dispensed with. The stopper 42 is formed in the shape of a solid bar, in a size adequately large and corresponding to that of each notch 40 of the counting rotor 37.

The fixture member 44 is pivoted on a shaft 52, and the stopper 42 is pressed by the action of a spring 53 against the periphery of the counting rotor 37.

The pack of sheets 36 to be counted faces one of the rotary suction drums 38 as described already, and the sheet nearest this drum is drawn thereto by suction exerted through a hole 59 due to a partial vacuum created therein. The sheet so drawn is separated from the rest of the pack because of the counterclockwise rotation of the counting rotor 37. Since the suction drum 38 is in clockwise rotation about its axis, its hole 59 stops exerting its suction to the sheet as it turns around off the face of the sheet, at which time the next suction drum intervenes between the separated sheet and the remaining pack, attracting the next sheet therefrom, and bringing the first separated sheet further away.

The process is repeated until all of the sheets have been counted, whereupon the suction holes are opened to the air. With the partial vacuum in all the suction drums 38 thus broken, the sheet counter is automatically switched off by means already known. At this instant, one of the suction holes 59 must be directed exactly toward a pack of sheets to be brought to the same position for the next counting operation, so that the counting rotor 37 as well as the suction drums 38 are reversed in rotation following a temporary stop until one of the suction drums comes to a desired position. How the rotations of the counting rotor 37 and the suction drums 38 are reversed is not pertinent to the present invention; any of the means proposed heretofore for the purpose may be adapted. What is advocated here is a device for impact-free, unfailing stoppage of the counting rotor 37 and, hence, the suction drums 38.

As the counting rotor 37 rotates in the reverse direction, i.e., clockwise in FIG. 3, the working end of the stopper 42 slides downwardly on one of the slopes on the periphery of the rotor until it falls into the succeeding notch 40, thereby stopping the counting rotor 37 and the rotary suction drums 38, one of which has its suction hole 39 directed squarely toward the next pack of sheets to be counted.

Claims

We claim:

1. In a sheet counter for counting sheets such as in a stack of bills, comprising a sheet holding device and a counting rotor for successively counting sheets in the stack of bills by adsorption, the improvement which comprises in combination

an angularly movable sheet mount adapted to receive a stack of sheets on a mounting surface thereof;

a sheet guide plate secured to a sheet counter frame near an end of the sheet mount and including a portion adapted for guiding one end of a mounted stack of sheets;

a sheet holder plate disposed perpendicularly to said mounting surface of the sheet mount and arranged to hold a rear side surface of said stack of sheets;

a check device adapted to lock said sheet mount when the stack of sheets is not correctly inserted in said sheet mount, but, to release the sheet mount for angular movement upon correct insertion of the stack of sheets;

a sheet holder pin supported by said sheet mount and adapted to securingly hold a correctly mounted stack of sheets so as to prevent shaking thereof;

a spring means biased on said pin so as to cause turning of the sheet mount toward said sheet holder plate when the sheet mount is released from being locked by said check device;

a transferring mechanism adapted to transfer said sheet holder plate, sheet mount and sheet holding pin to a counting position confronting with said counting rotor upon initiation of a sheet counting operation; and

a limit device adapted to hold the stack of sheets at its counting position.

2. A sheet holding device as claimed in claim 1, in which the sheet mount, sheet holder plate and sheet holding pin are adapted to pivot about axes perpendicular to the mounting surface of the sheet mount to enable angular movement thereof toward and away from said counting rotor.

3. In a sheet counter for counting sheets such as in a stack of bills, comprising a counting rotor having a plurality of suction heads on its periphery for successively separating sheets by adsorption of the sheets to count them, the improvement comprising: peripheral sectors on the rotor, each in the region of each of said suction heads, the periphery of each said sector grudually decreasing in radius from one end to the other in the same direction on all said peripheral sectors; notches on the rotor periphery, each notch separating successive of said peripheral sectors; and a stopper mechanism for the rotor provided with cushioning means and comprising a member suitable to engage in one of said notches, which member is arranged to be movable from a first position where it is out of engagement with the notches and a second position where the member is guided into engagement with a notch when the counting rotor is revolving, thereby to bring the rotor to a stop in such a position that one of the suction heads is in a position so as to engage a freshly mounted stack of bills.