Stacker For Paper Currency

Abstract

Disclosed is a device for receiving individual pieces of paper currency and for stacking successively received pieces of currency in a compact and uniform stack. The device consists essentially of a pair of support plates which receive and support opposite edges of a piece of currency, a plunger which is adapted to move downwardly to force the piece of currency below the support plates, and a spring-loaded bottom plate which moves downwardly with the plunger. Upon upward movement of the plunger, the piece of currency is retained below the lower surfaces of the support plates and the bottom plate.

Parent Case Text

This application is a continuation-in-part of my earlier application Ser. No. 64,947 filed Aug. 19, 1970, for STACKER FOR PAPER CURRENCY, now abandoned.

Description

The increasing use of devices such as dollar bill changers which accept individual pieces of paper currency and which, after the currency has been validated, retain the piece of paper currency and dispense either change or merchandise, has created a need for a simple and reliable device for accepting the paper currency from the validating apparatus and for stacking the currency in a compact and aligned manner. Such a device must be capable of automatic operation and must be capable of providing reliable operation over prolonged periods of time.

It is the primary object of the present invention to provide a stacking device which is capable of receiving individual paper currency pieces and of stacking successive pieces in a uniform and aligned manner.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a paper currency stacking device which may device which may be used in conjunction with a currency validating device or the like.

A further object of the invention is a provision of a paper currency stacking device which is of simple and inexpensive construction and which is capable of providing reliable operation.

The above and other objects of the invention which will become apparent in the following detailed description are achieved by providing a paper currency stacking device which consists, essentially, of an open-topped box-like enclosure which has a pair of horizontal support plates secured to the enclosure internally and adjacent the open upper end thereof, a floating plate below the support plates and spring biased upwardly, and a plunger which moves downwardly through the space between the support plates. The device is designed to receive a dollar bill or other unit of currency from a currency validating apparatus or other equipment. The individual piece of currency is supported at its opposite edges on the support plates. Downward movement of the plunger forces the currency piece through the opening between the support plates and on to the floating plate. Subsequent upward movement of the plunger results in the piece of currency being held between the support plates and the floating plate.

For a more complete understanding of the invention and of the objects and advantages thereof reference should be had to the following specification and the accompanying drawings wherein there is shown a preferred embodiment of the invention.

IN THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the currency stacking device of the present invention and showing this device in conjunction with a currency validating device;

FIG. 2 is an end elevational view, partially in section, of the paper currency stacker of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3, 4, and 5 are sectional views taken along the line 3--3 of FIG. 2 and showing the operating sequence of the currency stacking device;

FIG. 6 is an end elevational view, partially in section, of a second embodiment of the stacking device of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a top plan view of the device of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a plan view of a third embodiment of the paper currency stacking device of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a side elevational view of the device of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a side elevational view similar to that of FIG. 9 but showing the relation of the various operating parts at a different interval during the operating sequence of the device; and

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 11--11 of FIG. 8.

The currency stacking device, designated generally by the reference numeral 10, includes a box-like enclosure having opposite end walls 12, a front wall 14, and rear wall 16 and a bottom wall 18. The lower portion of the rear wall 16 is hinged, as indicated at 22, to provide a door 20. Preferably, the length and width of the interior of the enclosure are only slightly greater than the length and width of the paper currency. It will be noted that the top of the enclosure is open. A pair of horizontal support plates 24 are provided near the upper end of the enclosure. These plates do not extend the entire length of the enclosure but provide an opening 26 midway between the end walls 12. Below the support plates 24 there is provided a floating plate 28 which has projecting tabs 30 at its opposite ends which extend through the slots 32 in the end walls 12. Suitable means such as coil springs 34 are attached to the tabs 30 and to pins 36 near the upper end of the end walls 12. The springs 34 serve to hold the floating plate 38 against the underside of the fixed support plates 24. Obviously, other arrangements for biasing the plate 28 upwardly such as compression springs between the plate 28 and the floor 18 may be used in place of the springs 34.

Associated with the enclosure and aligned with the opening 26 is a plunger 38 which may be operated by any suitable means, such as the solenoid 40. Mounted on the lower end of the plunger 38 is a rectangular plate 39 which is slightly smaller than the opening 26 between the support plates 24. As shown in FIG. 3, the plunger 38 and plate 39 are normally held sufficiently far above the support plates 24 so as not to interfer with the movement of a piece of currency onto the support plates.

The operating sequence of the stacker is illustrated in FIGS. 3 through 5. In FIG. 3, a single piece of paper currency 42 has been received within the enclosure. The opposite ends 42a of the bill are supported by the fixed support plates 24. When the solenoid 40 is actuated, as shown in FIG. 4, the plunger 38 moves downwardly through the opening 26 carrying the bill 42 below the fixed support plates 24. It will be noted that the ends 42a of the bill are bent upwardly in a wing-like manner by the support plates 24. When the plunger 38 is withdrawn, as shown in FIG. 5, the spring 34 moves the floating plate 28 upwardly. The end portions 42a of the bill 42 are now caught by the undersides of the support plates 24 and the floating plate 28. Obviously, when a second bill is pushed through the opening 26 by the plunger 38, it will be stacked on top of the previously stacked bill. In this manner a stack of bills is accumulated between the support plates 24 and the floating plate 28. The pressure applied by the springs 34 assures that the bills will be completely stacked.

As shown in FIG. 1, the bill stacker 10 may be used in conjunction with a currency validating device 50. Typically, such a device 50 has a bill receiving tray 52 on which a single piece of paper currency is positioned in a specified orientation. The validating device includes a housing 54 which encloses the validating equipment. When the bill has been validated it is discharged from the rear of the housing 54 on to a sloping tray or chute 56 which directs the bill into the open upper end of the stacker 10. Obviously, the rear portions of the validating device 50 and the entire bill stacking assembly 10 will be housed in a suitable enclosure to prevent pilferage. Since all of the bills must be supplied to the validating equipment 50 in a particular orientation, all of the bills supplied from the chute 56 to the stacker 10 will also be oriented in a uniform manner. As a result, the stack of bills which accumulates within the stacker 10 will all be uniformly aligned.

The door 20 permits access to the stack of bills which has accumulated within the stacker 10. A suitable latch, not shown, may be provided to normally hold the door 20 in its closed position. Depending on the mounted arrangement of the stacker 10, the door location may be varied, for example to the front wall 14.

Any suitable means may be used to control the operation of the plunger 38. For example, when the stacker 10 is used with the currency validating equipment 50, the plunger 38 may be operated by actuating means 40 which is controlled by the validating device so that the actuating means operates every time a bill is discharged from the tray 56.

Obviously, as is shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 the horizontal support plates 24a may extend along the front and rear walls 14a and 16a, respectively, rather than along the end walls. In this embodiment, the plates 24a extend less than the entire width of the enclosure to provide an opening 26a midway between the front and rear walls. A vertically movable plunger 38a which has a rectangular plate 39a at its lower end is normally positioned above the enclosure and is provided with suitable actuating means (not shown) for moving the plunger downwardly so that the plate 39a moves through the opening 26a and pushes the floating plate 38a downwardly. As in the previously described embodiment, the floating plate 38a is biased upwardly against the underside of the horizontal plates 24a.

The operation of this embodiment is identical to that described above with the exception that the bills or notes received in the enclosure are supported along their upper and lower edges by the support plates 24a rather than along their ends. Downward movement of the plunger plate 39a causes the bill to move through the slot 26a with the edges of the bill bent upwardly in a wing-like fashion. Upon subsequent upward movement of the plunger plate 39, the edges of the bill are pressed between the floating plate 38a and the undersides of the horizontal support plates 24a.

FIGS. 8 through 11 illustrate a third embodiment of the invention. The currency stacker, designated generally by the numeral 60 is shown in conjunction with a currency validating device 62 which has a discharge tray 64. The validating device 62 operates in the conventional manner, receiving a single piece of paper currency, testing the currency for authenticity and if the currency is validated, discharging it onto the tray 64. The discharge tray 64 may be somewhat inclined, as shown, so that the piece of currency slides downwardly toward the end 65 of the tray 64. As an alternate arrangement, a driven roller may be provided to positively move the piece of currency to the edge 65 of the tray 64.

Mounted adjacent the end 65 of the tray 64 are a pair of support plates 66 and 68 which are also inclined downwardly. The plates 66 and 68 are separated by an opening 70 so that only the end portions of the piece of currency are supported by these plates. Beneath the support plates 66 and 68 is a bottom plate 72 which is supported by arms 74, the free ends of which are carried on pivot pins 76 mounted either on the housing of the validating device 62 or on a suitable separate framework. Biasing means such as springs 78 are provided in conjunction with the arms 74 to normally bias the bottom plate 72 upwardly against the undersides of the support plates 66 and 68. A pair of upwardly projecting curved blade-like stops are provided on the bottom plate 72 at the ends of the support plates 66 and 68. These stops 80 serve to prevent the piece of currency from sliding off the ends of the support plates 66 and 68. Also, pivotally connected to the pins 76 is a U-shaped frame member 82. The center portion 84 of this frame 82 is provided with a plate 86 which, when the frame 82 is in the position shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, is located above the opening 70 and slightly above the upper surface of the support plates 66 and 68. The end of the plate 86 toward the discharge tray 64 is curved upwardly, as indicated at 88, so that a piece of currency moving downwardly from the tray 64 onto the support plates 66 and 68 will move freely under the plate 86. Suitable means such as springs 90 are provided to normally bias the frame 82 in its upper position, that is the position shown in FIGS. 8 and 9. Suitable stops, not shown, may be provided to limit this upward movement. A motor 92 drives a gear train 94 which in turn drives a curved rack or gear segment 96 which rotates on the pin 76 and is connected to the U-shaped frame 82. As can be seen from FIG. 10, when the motor 92 is operated the frame 82 is caused to pivot downwardly with the plate 86 passing through the opening 70 between the support plates 66 and 68 to move the bottom plate 72 downwardly.

The operation of this embodiment is basically the same as that described in connection with the above embodiments. When a piece of currency has been accepted by the validator 62 it moves onto the discharge tray 64 and subsequently onto the support plates 66 and 68, being retained by the stops 80. As previously pointed out, the support plates 66 and 68 engage only the opposite ends of the piece of currency. The motor 92 is now actuated to cause the U-shaped frame 82 to pivot downwardly about the pins 76. The plate 86 thus moves downwardly pushing the piece of currency through the opening 70 and onto the bottom plate 72. The piece of currency will assume a wing-like configuration as the plate 86 moves downwardly. When the frame 82 and the plate 86 have completed their downward movement, the springs 90 move the frame 82 and plate 86 upwardly. The bottom plates 72 also move upwardly at the same time due to the action of the springs 78. The ends of the piece of currency are now restrained by the undersides of support plates 66 and 68 and as upward movement of the bottom plate 72 continues the piece of currency is pressed between the undersides of these support plates and the bottom plate 72. The device is now ready to accept another piece of currency and the same operation will be repeated with a new piece of currency being stacked between the underside of the support plates 66 and 68 and the previously stacked piece of currency. As additional pieces of currency are added, a stack of currency will be accumulated between the bottom plate 72 and the support plates 66 and 68.

Various arrangements may be used to control the operation of the motor 92. For example, the motor 92 may be controlled by the validating device 62 so that the motor operates after each acceptance and authentication of a piece of currency. Alternatively, the currency stacker 60 may be provided with a switch which is actuated by the presence of a piece of currency on the support plates 66 and 68 to control the motor 92.

It should now be apparent that there has been provided a paper currency stacking device which fulfills the objectives set out above. It should also be apparent that changes and modifications may be made in and to the described embodiments. Reference should therefore be had to the appended claims in determining the true scope of the invention.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A device for stacking sheets such as currency or the like, comprising:

a pair of fixed support plates spaced apart by a distance less than the length of the sheets;

a first movable plate below the support plates and the opening therebetween;

means to bias the movable plate upwardly against the support plates;

a second movable plate normally above the support plates and smaller than the opening between the support plates; and

means to move the second movable plate downwardly through the opening between the support plates.

2. The device according to claim 1 further including an open-topped rectangular enclosure comprised of a pair of end walls, a front wall, and a rear wall, the support plates being secured to the interior of the enclosure adjacent the open top thereof.

3. The device according to claim 2 wherein the interior length and width of the enclosure are only slightly greater than the length and width respectively, of the sheets.

4. The device according to claim 2 wherein the first movable plate has an outwardly projecting lug at each end thereof, said lugs extending through slots in the end walls of the enclosure and the means to bias the plate comprises spring means connected to the lugs and to fixed anchor points near the upper edges of the end walls.

5. The device according to claim 2 further including a door in one of the walls of the enclosure to provide access to the region below the support plates.

6. The device according to claim 1 further including frame means, a first pair of arms supporting the first movable plate and pivotally connected to the frame means for rotation about a horizontal axis, and a second pair of arms supporting the second movable plate and pivotally connected to the frame means for rotation about the horizontal axis.

7. The device according to claim 6 wherein the means to move the second movable plate comprises a motor mounted on the frame means, a sector gear rotating about the horizontal axis and connected to one arm of the second pair of arms, and drive means connecting the motor to the sector gear.

8. A device for stacking sheets such as currency or the like, comprising:

a rectangular, open-topped enclosure;

a pair of fixed horizontal support plates secured to opposite walls of the enclosure adjacent the upper end thereof and defining an opening mid-way between said walls,

a vertically movable horizontal plate below the support plates;

means to bias the movable plate upwardly against the underside of the support plates;

a second vertically movable horizontal plate normally above the support plates and smaller than the opening therebetween; and

means to move the second movable plate downwardly through the opening between the support plates.

9. The stacking device according to claim 8 wherein the support plates are secured along the shorter sides of the enclosure to support the opposite ends of sheets.

10. The stacking device according to claim 8 wherein the support plates are secured along the longer sides of the enclosure to support the opposite side edges of a sheets.

11. A device for stacking sheets such as currency or the like, comprising:

a frame;

a pair of support plates affixed to the frame, spaced from one another by a distance less than the length of a the sheets, and adapted to receive and support the sheets along the opposite edges thereof;

a first subframe pivotally connected to the frame for rotation about a horizontal axis and including a plate portion underlying the support plates;

means to bias the first subframe whereby the plate portion thereof is urged against the undersides of the support plates;

a second subframe pivotally connected to the frame for rotation about a horizontal axis and including a second plate portion of lesser width than and normally overlying the opening between the support plates; and

means to rotate the second subframe about its horizontal axis. pg,13

12. The device according to claim 11 further including stop means carried by the first subframe and projecting beyond the support plates to retain a piece of paper currency on the support plates.

13. The device according to claim 11 wherein the first and second subframes have a common horizontal axis of rotation.

14. The device according to claim 11 wherein a currency validating device is mounted on the frame, the support plates being aligned with the discharge opening of the validating device to receive the piece of currency from the discharge opening.