De La Rue Systems Ltd.

Eaton Aerospace Limited

John Wood

Stuart M Jenkins

Dominic Ashton

David Martin

Peter Glasson

Alan Massey

Christopher M Tinson

Raymond J Dominey

An inerting system for an aircraft fuel tank () uses an air separation device () to produce a supply of nitrogen-enriched air to replenish the fuel tank on consumption of fuel and to maintain the pressure difference across the walls of the tank () below design limits. The air separation device () provides substantially the whole of the mass of the gas required and so there is substantially no inward venting. This provides a substantially homogenous nitrogen content in the air in the tank ().

Aircraft fuel tank and inerting system therefor

A secure container formed with an aperture and having a closure member movable to cover or uncover the aperture, and comprising actuating means for engagement by a releasing member in a dispensing, loading or unloading apparatus as the container is inserted into such apparatus, incorporates a lost-motion connection between the actuating means (10) and release mechanism (12, 21, 22, 23) for the closure member (24) and a direct connection between the actuating means and an internally pivoted lever (11), as a consequence of which when the container is inserted in the apparatus the lever (11) is moved to project through the side wall of the container before the closure member starts to open and similarly on withdrawal of the container the closure member is completely closed before the lever returns to its first position inside the container to allow withdrawal of the container form the apparatus to be completed.

Secure container, for example for banknotes

Banknote feeding apparatus is disclosed which includes a cassette for a stack (S) of banknotes, a reciprocating suction arm (6) acting on the endmost banknote for removing banknotes singly from the end of the stack and conveying them into the nip of a pair of rollers, and which is characterized by a 'gulp' arm (27) with a blade (29) which is inserted into the stack and removes from the end of the stack a batch of banknotes, conveying them into the same nip rollers. The gulp arm is coupled to the rotation of the drive shaft (21) of the suction arm (6) by means of a parallel drive shaft (23) which is driven by a drive arm (22) by means of a follower (24) only in the event of a blockage of banknotes. A blockage signal energizes a solenoid (20) which pushes the follower (24) into a position such that it will be driven by the drive arm (22), so rotating the gulp arm (27). The removal of a batch from the end of the stack should clear the blockage.

Sheet feeding apparatus

Cash dispensing apparatus

In automatic banknote dispensing apparatus, a banknote access module comprises an enclosure which can be fixed in the outer wall of a bank and within which is a platform mounted to pivot about a fixed axis between a first position, in which it receives banknotes from an inlet aperture in the enclosure and is accessible to a customer when a door of the enclosure is unlocked following a correct delivery of notes to the platform, and a second position in which it ejects notes from the enclosure through a reject outlet aperture, for example following an incorrect delivery of notes. A shroud formed integrally with the door blocks the banknote delivery inlet aperture when the door is open.

Growing community of inventors

Hampshire, United Kingdom

John Wood