Monetary document profile location and predetermined selected path

Abstract

The denomination indicia contiguous with the Treasury seal on United States paper money can be located. Apparatus includes means for transporting the documents lengthwise along a course. Two reproduce heads, each having a like plurality of tracks oriented along a line substantially perpendicular to the direction of motion. Means associated with one head detect the leading edge margin of each document. Means responsive to the detection of the leading edge margin produce a set of timing pulses. A latch means responsive to the tracks of the first magnetic head upon receipt of one of the timing signals indicate the likelihood of a portion of the denomination indicia being in proximity thereto. Shift register means are responsive to the latch means. Clock pulses are applied for shifting the shift register during a time interval when the likelihood of a portion of the denomination indicia is in proximity to the first head. The count of the counting means is incremented by applying a single clocking pulse thereto prior to the interval and by applying additional clocking pulses thereto during the interval. Means are responsive to selective stages of the shift register being in the same state for providing a track select enable signal and for causing the counting means to cause incrementation. Switching means, enabled by the track select enable signal, and responsive to the count of the counting means, select one of the tracks of the second magnetic reproduce head for coupling to an amplifier.