Brandt-pra, Inc.

Brandt, Inc.

Parmac Technology, Inc.

Alan P Jones

William Sherman, Iii

Documents are fed from an infeed through a stripper one at a time. Documents leaving the stripper are accelerated to provide a suitable gap between documents. A light source and phototransistor are used to count the documents. The phototransistor picks up the light passing through the documents as well as light between documents. Plural counters count in a mutually exclusive fashion, said counts representing document length and gap length between documents to count the documents to distinguish between 'normal' gap lengths and perforations, tears and the like within documents, to detect the presence of overlapping or abnormally 'long' documents to provide an accurate count and to terminate document feeding. The counters mutually exclusively develop counts during the presence and absence of sheets, respectively.

Electronic counting and control means for document handling utilizing

Apparatus for producing signals of varying volume and pitch which are functions of the magnitude and distribution respectively, of weight (or weights) placed upon a platform hinged at one corner and swingable in mutually orthogonal directions. Sensors convert the physical displacements occurring at first and second corners opposite of the platform adjacent to the hinged corner into signals for controlling the volume and pitch of an output signal. Alternatively, displacement of the platform may be controlled by the application of varying pressure by means other than full body weight, such as the operator's finger(s). The apparatus may be utilized as a unique means for producing music or musical sounds responsive to a person dancing or otherwise moving upon the platform to provide an entertainment form which is both unusual and enjoyable. The varying degree of sophistication of equipment design enables its use to encompass as diverse a range of devices as that of a rugged toy having a simplicity of design and a sensitive musical instrument capable of producing precise quality tones providing a broad range of applications within the field of entertainment.

Musical platform

Electronic counting and control means are provided which are sensitive to the transmissivity of light and include feedback means for controlling the brightness of the light source to extend its life. Additionally, integrating means are provided for determining when there is an overlap of documents being handled by the counting means. Further, specific circuit arrangements are provided for insuring that an exact count is obtained even when perforated documents are being counted and there is a gap between successive documents.

Photoelectric apparatus for document counting and overlap detection

In an apparatus for accurately counting a stack of documents and especially legal tender (i.e., paper money), tests for authenticity are performed simultaneously with the counting operation and without in any way impeding the type of counting operation being performed. At the same time that the counting operation is being performed, at speeds of the order of 1250 bills per minute, each bill or note currency is tested for certain properties of genuineness, including fluorescence and magnetic characteristics. Notes which fail to satisfy the tests are categorized as suspect notes and automatically stop the machine and thereby temporarily halt the counting operation. The suspect note is isolated as the top-most document in the outfeed stacker greatly facilitating the handling and removal of the suspect bill for further examination. The presence of a suspect note further provides a visual and/or audible alarm indication thereof simultaneously with the halting of the counting operation thereby facilitating removal of the suspect note by conventional methods to permit further inspection. The circuitry provided enables counting to be immediately resumed by depressing a start button. The test may be performed when the equipment is being operated in either the batching or normal counting mode. Detection means are provided for testing fluorescence and/or magnetic properties of the bills being counted.

Counterfeit detection means for paper counting

Electronic control means for a paper handling and counting machine. An LED array provides a visual display of the number of paper documents counted during either normal counting or 'batching' operations. The LED display is utilized to the exclusion of additional display devices for providing an indication of a jam condition in the event of a jam by 'flashing' the zero decimal digit. A similar indication is artificially created upon turn-on of the machine. When operating in the 'batching' mode the LED array, in addition to providing a visual display of a completed batch count, will display a partially completed batch count in a flashing manner. The 'jam-type' display is also activated whenever the batch control selector switch is switched from the 'count' mode position to any batching mode position. Means are also provided to abruptly stop the drive source for the machine upon the occurrence of a jam condition and also to abruptly stop the drive source for the machine upon the completion of a batch, said abrupt stoppage being accomplished by dynamic braking means. A 'leading zero' detection circuit blanks unnecessary zeros from being illuminated. The load upon the motor is continuously monitored and, in the event that the current drawn by the motor increases above a predetermined threshold, a jam condition is created to dynamically brake the motor in order to protect the machine from being damaged due to a jam and to further protect the operator from injury.

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Levittown, PA, United States of America

Alan P Jones