De La Rue Systems Ltd.

Michel R Croset

Martin Lane

David E Wake

David R Worsley

Roy E Winchester

Anthony L Robinson

A sheet presenting assembly, for example for dispensing banknotes, comprises a rotatably mounted set of stacking wheels (2-5) each having a plurality of sheet receiving slots (7). A stripping device (13) cooperates with the stacking wheels (2-5) in a first position to strip sheets from the stacking wheels to form stack of sheets. The stripping device (13) is movable to a second position in which the stack of sheets (28) is clamped between the stripping device (13) and outer surfaces of two belts (20, 20'). Drive including a drive motor (22) and the belts (20, 20') move the stripping device 13 with the stack of sheets (28) clamped therebetween towards a present station (29).

Sheet presenting assembly

A method and apparatus for monitoring the passage of sheets past at least one sensing assembly (48,49). The sensing assembly (48,49) generates an output signal whose level varies in accordance with a characteristic of the sheets, for example the thickness of the sheets. The method comprises for the or each sensing assembly, presetting a first threshold (62) spaced by a predetermined amount from a datum output signal level (57) when no sheet is sensed, the predetermined amount being such that the first threshold (62) is not passed as a result of random noise variations in the output signal but is passed during the passage past the sensing means of all sheets which it is desired to monitor. The size of the output signal from the sensing means (48, 49) relative to the datum level is monitored when the output signal first passes the first threshold (62) corresponding to the passage of a first sheet. Single, double, and triple sheet thresholds (63, 64, 67) are generated from a monitored size and thereafter the output signal is monitored to sense when it passes one or more of the thresholds.

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Hants, United Kingdom

Michel R Croset