MONEY-HANDLING DEVICE

• US 3,701,523 A
• Filed: 07/16/1970
• Issued: 10/31/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/1970
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Gustav F. Erickson
• Original Assignee: Gustav F. Erickson
• Inventors: Erickson, Gustav F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Robert W. Michell
• Assistant Examiner(s): L. R. Oremland
• Application Number:
  US05/055,501
• Time in Patent Office: 838 Days
• Field of Search: 270/80-85,61,67 221/36,38,40
• US Class Current: 493/23
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 11/14 Inlet or outlet ports

Abstract

A paper money dispensing device stores bills in stacked relation, successively separates the lowermost bill from the stack of bills, and moves the separated bills to an area where they can be dispensed to a patron. That paper money dispensing device automatically senses when two bills stick together and are simultaneously separated from the stack of bills; and it moves those bills to a storage area for safe-keeping, and then separates further bills from the stack of bills and moves those further bills to the area where they can be dispensed to a patron. Where that paper money dispensing device is used to dispense a fixed number of bills, that paper money dispensing device separates the said number of bills from the stack of bills during each cycle of operation and then dispenses the separated bills at the start of the next-succeeding cycle of operation; thereby providing prompt dispensing of the bills to be dispensed during the next-succeeding cycle of operation. Where that paper money dispensing device is used to dispense variable numbers of bills, that paper money dispensing device separates the desired number of bills from the stack of bills and promptly dispenses the separated bills. That paper money dispensing device dispenses all of the bills of the desired number of bills at the same instant, and it folds those bills as they are dispensed; thereby minimizing the likelihood that a patron would inadvertently fail to take all of the bills due him.

Claims

1. A paper money dispensing device which comprises:

a housing with a slot therein through which folded bills are dispensed, a currency receptacle wherein bills are held in stacked relation in unfolded condition, a bill-withdrawing element adjacent said currency receptacle that withdraws bills from said currency receptacle while said bills are in unfolded condition, supporting means to hold said bills in unfolded condition after said bills have been withdrawn from said currency receptacle by said bill-withdrawing element, an ejector blade adjacent said supporting means that is selectively movable through a path of movement relative to said supporting means to fold said bills held by said supporting means and to move the folds in said folded bills outwardly through said slot in said housing, and an electromagnetic element that is energizable to cause said ejector blade to move through said path of movement relative to said supporting means and fold said bills held by said supporting means and move the folds in said bills outwardly through said slot in said housing, whereby bills can be stored in unfolded condition but can be dispensed in folded conditions, said path of movement of said ejector blade being too short to permit said ejector blade to move said folded bills wholly through said slot in said housing, whereby said folded bills will remain in said slot until removed by a patron.

2. A paper money dispensing device as claimed in claim 1 wherein a pivot rotatably supports said ejector blade, whereby said ejector blade rotates as it moves through said path of movement.

3. A paper money dispensing device as claimed in claim 1 wherein a pivot rotatably supports said ejector blade and wherein a sliding element supports said pivot, whereby said ejector blade translates and rotates as it moves through said path of movement, said sliding element and said pivot initially holding said ejector blade above the level of said supporting means and above at least a portion of a bill held in unfolded condition by said supporting means, said sliding element and said pivot subsequently permitting said ejector blade to translate into engagement with said bill held in unfolded condition by said supporting means to start the folding of said bill and then to rotate to complete the folding of said bill and to move the fold in said bill outwardly through said slot in said housing.

4. A paper money dispensing device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said supporting means comprises belts that are spaced apart to permit said ejector blade to move downwardly between them.

5. A paper money dispensing device as claimed in claim 1 wherein spaced guides are disposed inwardly of said slot in said wall of said housing, said spaced guides being disposed at opposite sides of said path of movement of said ejector blade and being spaced far enough apart to permit bills to pass therebetween in folded condition but being disposed close enough to each other to coact with said ejector blade to fold said bills as said ejector blade moves between said spaced guides, said spaced guides having the upper edges thereof spaced farther apart than the lower edges thereof, said upper edges of the said spaced guides permitting the initial bends in the folded bills to be made gradually.

6. A paper money dispensing device as claimed in claim 1 wherein spaced guides are disposed inwardly of said slot in said wall of said housing, said spaced guides being disposed at opposite sides of Said path of movement of said ejector blade and being spaced far enough apart to permit bills to pass therebetween in folded condition but being disposed close enough to each other to coact with said ejector blade to fold said bills as said ejector blade moves between said spaced guides, and wherein a resilient element engages bills that are folded and are moved into position between said spaced guides, said resilient element helping to hold said bills in position between said spaced guides as said ejector blades move back through said path of movement and away from said spaced guides.

7. A paper money dispensing device as claimed in claim 1 wherein spaced guides are disposed inwardly of said slot in said wall of said housing, said spaced guides being disposed at opposite sides of said path of movement of said ejector blade and being spaced far enough apart to permit bills to pass therebetween in folded condition but being disposed close enough to each other to coact with said ejector blade to fold said bills as said ejector blade moves between said spaced guides, and wherein a resilient element engages bills that are folded and are moved into position between said spaced guides, said resilient element helping to hold said bills in position between said spaced guides as said ejector blade moves back through said path of movement and away from said spaced guides, said resilient element being an elongated spring which extends through a slot in one of said spaced guides to engage bills that are folded and are moved into position between said spaced guides, said elongated spring normally having a portion thereof in the path of bills that are folded and are moved into position between said spaced guides but responding to said bills, as said bills are folded by said ejector plate, to move out of the path of said bills, the restoring forces within said elongated spring enabling said elongated spring to help hold said bills in position between said spaced guides as said ejector blade moves back through said path of movement and away from said spaced guides.

8. A paper money dispensing device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said ejector blade has a point on that edge thereof which engages and folds said bills held by said supporting means.

9. A paper money dispensing device as claimed in claim 1 wherein a pivot rotatably supports said ejector blade and wherein a sliding element supports said pivot, whereby said ejector blade translates and rotates as it moves through said path of movement, and wherein a resilient element holds said ejector blade against rotation about said pivot until said sliding element has reached the end of its path of travel, whereby said ejector blade translates during the initial movement of said ejector blade through said path of movement toward said bills held by said supporting means.

10. A paper money dispensing device as claimed in claim 1 wherein a pivot rotatably supports said ejector blade and wherein a sliding element supports said pivot, whereby said ejector blade translates and rotates as it moves through said path of movement, and wherein a resilient element holds said ejector blade against rotation about said pivot until said sliding element has reached the end of its path of travel, whereby said ejector blade translates during the initial movement of said ejector blade through said path of movement toward said bills held by said supporting means, said resilient element rapidly moving said ejector blade away from said folded bills as said ejector blade moves back through said path of movement.

11. A paper money dispensing device as claimed in claim 1 wherein a barrier normally blocks said slot in said housing, and wherein a linkage between said ejector blade and said barrier moves said barrier out of slot-blocking position before said ejector blade moves said folds in said bills into said slot in said housing, said linkage having a lost motion connection therein whereby said ejector blade can move a predetermined distance toward biLls held by said supporting means before said linkage moves said barrier.

12. A paper money dispensing device as claimed in claim 1 wherein a barrier normally blocks said slot in said housing, and wherein a linkage moves said barrier out of slot-blocking position before said ejector blade moves said folds in said bills into said slot in said housing, and wherein a resilient element biases said barrier into slot-blocking position, said resilient element being dimensioned to permit folded bills that are disposed within said slot in said housing to prevent the return of said barrier to slot-blocking position.

13. A paper money dispensing device as claimed in claim 1 wherein a switch will open if a patron does not promptly grasp said folded bills and, instead, leaves said folded bills in said slot, the opening of said switch de-energizing at least one component of said paper money dispensing device until said patron grasps said folded bills in said slot and removes said folded bills from said slot, and wherein a slide is movable relative to the actuator for said switch, said slide opening said switch whenever folded bills are within said slot in said housing as said slide moves toward said actuator for said switch but said slide leaving said switch closed whenever no folded bills are within said slot in said housing as said slide moves toward said actuator for said switch.

14. A paper money dispensing device as claimed in claim 1 wherein a barrier normally blocks said slot in said housing, and wherein a linkage moves said barrier out of slot-blocking position before said ejector blade moves said folds in said bills into said slot in said housing, and wherein abutting surfaces normally block movement of said barrier out of slot-blocking position, one of said abutting surfaces moving as said ejector blade moves and thereby permitting said barrier to be moved out of slot-blocking position.

15. A paper money dispensing device which comprises:

a housing with a slot therein through which folded bills are dispensed, a currency receptacle wherein bills are held in stacked relation in unfolded condition, a bill-withdrawing element adjacent said currency receptacle that withdraws bills from said currency receptacle while said bills are in unfolded condition, supporting means to hold said bills in unfolded condition after said bills have been withdrawn from said currency receptacle by said bill-withdrawing element, an ejector blade adjacent said supporting means that is selectively movable through a path of movement relative to said supporting means to fold said bills held by said supporting means and to move the folds in said folded bills outwardly through said slot in said housing, an electromagnetic element that is energizable to cause said ejector blade to move through said path of movement relative to said supporting means and fold said bills held by said supporting means and move the folds in said bills outwardly through said slot in said housing, whereby bills can be stored in unfolded condition but can be dispensed in folded conditions, said path of movement of said ejector blade being too short to permit said ejector blade to move said folded bills wholly through said slot in said housing, whereby said folded bills will remain in said slot until removed by a patron, a pivot that rotatably supports said ejector blade, and a sliding element that supports said pivot, whereby said ejector blade translates and rotates as it moves through said path of movement.

16. A paper money dispensing device which comprises:

a housing with a slot therein through which folded bills are dispensed, a currency receptacle wherein bills are held in stacked relation in unfolded condition, a bill-withdrawing element adjacent said currency receptacle that withdraws bills from said currency receptacle while said bills are in unfolded condition, supporting means to hold said bills in unfolded condition afTer said bills have been withdrawn from said currency receptacle by said bill-withdrawing element, an ejector blade adjacent said supporting means that is selectively movable through a path of movement relative to said supporting means to fold said bills held by said supporting means and to move the folds in said folded bills outwardly through said slot in said housing, and an electromagnetic element that is energizable to cause said ejector blade to move through said path of movement relative to said supporting means and fold said bills held by said supporting means and move the folds in said bills outwardly through said slot in said housing, whereby bills can be stored in unfolded condition but can be dispensed in folded conditions, said path of movement of said ejector blade being too short to permit said ejector blade to move said folded bills wholly through said slot in said housing, whereby said folded bills will remain in said slot until removed by a patron, said ejector blade initially being spaced away from said supporting means to permit a plurality of bills in unfolded condition to be stacked on top of each other atop said supporting means, said ejector blade thereafter moving through said path of movement to simultaneously fold and dispense said plurality of bills stacked atop said supporting means.

17. A paper money dispensing device which comprises:

a housing with a slot therein through which folded bills are dispensed, a currency receptacle wherein bills are held in stacked relation in unfolded condition, a bill-withdrawing element adjacent said currency receptacle that withdraws bills from said currency receptacle while said bills are in unfolded condition, supporting means to hold said bills in unfolded condition after said bills have been withdrawn from said currency receptacle by said bill-withdrawing element, an ejector blade adjacent said supporting means that is selectively movable through a path of movement relative to said supporting means to fold said bills held by said supporting means and to move the folds in said folded bills outwardly through said slot in said housing, an electromagnetic element that is energizable to cause said ejector blade to move through said path of movement relative to said supporting means and fold said bills held by said supporting means and move the folds in said bills outwardly through said slot in said housing, whereby bills can be stored in unfolded condition but can be dispensed in folded conditions, said path of movement of said ejector blade being too short to permit said ejector blade to move said folded bills wholly through said slot in said housing, whereby said folded bills will remain in said slot until removed by a patron, and spaced guides that are disposed inwardly of said slot in said wall of said housing, said spaced guides being disposed at opposite sides of said path of movement of said ejector blade and being spaced far enough apart to permit bills to pass therebetween in folded condition but being disposed close enough to each other to coact with said ejector blade to fold said bills as said ejector blade moves between said spaced guides.

18. A paper money dispensing device which comprises:

a housing with a slot therein through which folded bills are dispensed, a currency receptacle wherein bills are held in stacked relation in unfolded condition, a bill-withdrawing element adjacent said currency receptacle that withdraws bills from said currency receptacle while said bills are in unfolded condition, supporting means to hold said bills in unfolded condition after said bills have been withdrawn from said currency receptacle by said bill-withdrawing element, an ejector blade adjacent said supporting means that is selectively movable through a path of movement relative to said supporting means to fold said bills held by said supporting means and to move the folds in said folded billS outwardly through said slot in said housing, an electromagnetic element that is energizable to cause said ejector blade to move through said path of movement relative to said supporting means and fold said bills held by said supporting means and move the folds in said bills outwardly through said slot in said housing, whereby bills can be stored in unfolded condition but can be dispensed in folded conditions, said path of movement of said ejector blade being too short to permit said ejector blade to move said folded bills wholly through said slot in said housing, whereby said folded bills will remain in said slot until removed by a patron, and a stop that is disposed adjacent said slot and adjacent said supporting means to keep bills moved toward said supporting means from moving too close to said slot, whereby said bills held by said supporting means will be in register with said ejector blade.

19. A paper money dispensing device which comprises:

a housing with a slot therein through which folded bills are dispensed, a currency receptacle wherein bills are held in stacked relation in unfolded condition, a bill-withdrawing element adjacent said currency receptacle that withdraws bills from said currency receptacle while said bills are in unfolded condition, supporting means to hold said bills in unfolded condition after said bills have been withdrawn from said currency receptacle by said bill-withdrawing element, an ejector blade adjacent said supporting means that is selectively movable through a path of movement relative to said supporting means to fold said bills held by said supporting means and to move the folds in said folded bills outwardly through said slot in said housing, an electromagnetic element that is energizable to cause said ejector blade to move through said path of movement relative to said supporting means and fold said bills held by said supporting means and move the folds in said bills outwardly through said slot in said housing, whereby bills can be stored in unfolded condition but can be dispensed in folded conditions, said path of movement of said ejector blade being too short to permit said ejector blade to move said folded bills wholly through said slot in said housing, whereby said folded bills will remain in said slot until removed by a patron, a barrier that normally blocks said slot in said housing, and a linkage that moves said barrier out of slot-blocking position before said ejector blade moves said folds in said bills into said slot in said housing.

20. A paper money dispensing device which comprises:

a housing with a slot therein through which folded bills are dispensed, a currency receptacle wherein bills are held in stacked relation in unfolded condition, a bill-withdrawing element adjacent said currency receptacle that withdraws bills from said currency receptacle while said bills are in unfolded condition, supporting means to hold said bills in unfolded condition after said bills have been withdrawn from said currency receptacle by said bill-withdrawing element, an ejector blade adjacent said supporting means that is selectively movable through a path of movement relative to said supporting means to fold said bills held by said supporting means and to move the folds in said folded bills outwardly through said slot in said housing, an electromagnetic element that is energizable to cause said ejector blade to move through said path of movement relative to said supporting means and fold said bills held by said supporting means and move the folds in said bills outwardly through said slot in said housing, whereby bills can be stored in unfolded condition but can be dispensed in folded conditions, said path of movement of said ejector blade being too short to permit said ejector blade to move said folded bills wholly through said slot in said housing, whereby said folded bills will remain in saiD slot until removed by a patron, and a switch that is adapted to open and de-energize at least one component of said paper money dispensing device, said switch opening if a patron does not promptly grasp said folded bills and, instead, leaves said folded bills in said slot, the opening of said switch de-energizing said one component of said paper money dispensing device until said patron grasps said folded bills in said slot and removes said folded bills from said slot.

21. A paper money dispensing device which comprises:

a housing with a slot therein through which folded bills are dispensed, a currency receptacle wherein bills are held in stacked relation in unfolded condition, a bill-withdrawing element adjacent said currency receptacle that withdraws bills from said currency receptacle while said bills are in unfolded condition, supporting means to hold said bills in unfolded condition after said bills have been withdrawn from said currency receptacle by said bill-withdrawing element, an ejector blade adjacent said supporting means that is selectively movable through a path of movement relative to said supporting means to fold said bills held by said supporting means and to move the folds in said folded bills outwardly through said slot in said housing, an electromagnetic element that is energizable to cause said ejector blade to move through said path of movement relative to said supporting means and fold said bills held by said supporting means and move the folds in said bills outwardly through said slot in said housing, a pivot that rotatably supports said ejector blade, a sliding element that supports said pivot, said supporting means comprising belts that are spaced apart to permit said ejector blade to move between them, spaced guides disposed inwardly of said slot in said wall of said housing and disposed at the opposite sides of said path of movement of said ejector blade and spaced far enough apart to permit bills to pass therebetween in folded condition but located close enough to each other to coact with said ejector blade to fold said bills as said ejector blade moves between said spaced guides, a resilient element engaging bills, that are folded and that are moved into position between said spaced guides, to help hold said bills in position between said spaced guides as said ejector blade moves back through said path of movement and away from said spaced guides, a resilient element biasing said ejector blade for movement back through said path of movement and away from said spaced guides, said ejector blade having a point on that edge thereof which engages and folds said bills held by said supporting means, said sliding element and said pivot permitting said ejector blade to translate and then rotate as it moves through said path of movement, a stop disposed adjacent said slot and adjacent said supporting means to keep bills moved toward said supporting means from moving too close to said slot, a barrier that normally blocks said slot in said housing, a linkage that moves said barrier out of slot-blocking position before said ejector blade moves said folds in said bills into said slot in said housing, said linkage having a lost motion connection therein so said ejector blade can move a predetermined distance toward bills held by said supporting means before said linkage moves said barrier, a resilient element biasing said barrier into said slot-blocking position but dimensioned to permit folded bills disposed within said slot in said housing to prevent the return of said barrier to slot-blocking position, a switch that opens when a patron does not promptly grasp said folded bills and, instead, leaves said folded bills in said slot, the opening of said switch de-energizing at least one component of said paper money dispensing device until said patron grasps said folded bills in said slot and removes said folded bills from said slot, a slide that is movable relative to the actuator for said switch, said slide opening said switch, whenever folded bills are within said slot in said housing, as said slide moves toward said actuator for said switch but said slide leaving said switch closed whenever no folded bills are within said slot in said housing as said slide moves toward said actuator for said switch, abutting surfaces normally blocking movement of said barrier out of slot-blocking position, one of said abutting surfaces moving as said ejector blade moves and thereby permitting said barrier to be moved out of slot-blocking position, cycle control means causing said paper money dispensing device to dispense a predetermined number of bills and to withdraw an equal number of bills from said currency receptacle during each cycle of operation of said paper money dispensing device, said cycle control means including a bill-counting switch that is actuated by each bill as said bill is moved from said currency receptacle into position where it is held by said supporting means, said cycle control means causing said paper money dispensing device to consecutively withdraw a number of bills from said currency receptacle and to move said bills into position to be held by said supporting means and then to simultaneously dispense said withdrawn bills, a double bill detection switch that senses when two bills are stuck together, bill-rejecting means moving said stuck bills, and any other bills previously moved into position where they are held by said supporting means, to a storage area, said cycle control means thereafter initiating the withdrawing of further bills from said currency receptacle, a relay that is actuated as said double bill switch senses when two bills are stuck together and prevents dispensing of any bills while said bill-rejecting means is operating, and an empty switch adjacent said currency receptacle.