Stacker Apparatus for a Card Counting Machine

This invention relates generally to a card counting machine and, more particularly, to a stacker apparatus for neatly stacking pieces of sheet material such as paper money, which pieces have been counted by a counting mechanism in the counting machine.

In a card counting machine, heretofore, as shown in FIG. 1, a pair of rotary drums 2 (only one is illustrated) disposed in axial alignment with each other are adapted to receive sheet by sheet the paper money transferred from a not shown counting mechanism through a passage 1 and a guide chute 6. In the cylindrical circumference of each rotary drum 2, a plurality of "L" shaped arms 3 are provided in equispaced relationship. The free end of each arm 3 extends in a direction opposite to the rotational direction (shown by arrow 4) of the drums 2 so that a receiving space or pocket 5 is provided between the free ends of the adjacent arms 3. An opening 6a is provided in the shoot 6 to prevent interference of the chute with the arms' rotation. In a stacker apparatus with such rotary drums 2, each piece of paper money sliding down the chute 6 is received in the pocket 5 formed between the preceding and following arms 3 and rotated with the associated pocket 5 in the clockwise direction by the rotation of the rotary drums 2. When the preceding and following arms 3 pass through an opening 7a provided in an accumulating platform 7, the leading end of the paper money positioned radially inwardly of the associated pocket 5 between the preceeding and following arms 3 will engage a portion of the accumulating platform 7, thereby to cause the paper money to be pushed toward a pivotable plate 8 by the free end of the following arm 3. Thus, the paper money can be accumulated sheet by sheet on the accumulating platform 7.

However, in such a stacker apparatus, since there is a relatively large gap 5a between the adjacent arms 3, when the paper money is forced into the pocket 5, its leading end will easily pass through the gap 5a and then strike against the root portion 3a of the preceding arm 3. This not only causes the paper money to jump in the direction opposite to which it was being transported and out of the pocket 5, but also causes the jumping paper money to come into collision with the following paper money.

It is therefore a principal object of this invention to provide a stacker apparatus which can remove the above-mentioned disadvantages of the prior art stacker apparatus.

In brief, a stacker apparatus according to this invention comprises a rotary drum having a plurality of "L" shaped arms provided in the cylindrical circumference thereof, each arm having an elastic gap closing portion extending toward the preceding arm until it softly contacts the inner surface thereof, thereby to close the gap between the adjacent arms. This gap closing portion extends from the curved part of the "L" shaped arm, which is the most convenient part for manufacturing the arm and for holding paper money between the inner surface of the preceding arm and the gap closing portion of the following arm.

This invention will become more readily apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments thereof shown, by way of example only, in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the prior art stacker apparatus; and

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view showing embodiments of the stacker apparatus according to this invention.

Referring to FIG. 2, there are shown preferred embodiments of this invention, wherein various parts similar or corresponding to those of the prior art stacker apparatus shown in FIG. 1 are indicated by the same numerals. With respect to these parts, further descriptions thereof have been omitted for the sake of simplification.

In FIG. 2, according to this invention, each "L" shaped arm 3 comprises a root portion 3a extending radially outwardly from the cylindrical surface of a rotary drum 2 supported for rotation in the direction shown by arrow 4, a first portion 3b extending from the free end of the root portion 3a in a direction substantially opposite to the rotation direction of the rotary drum 2 so as to form a curved part between the root and first portions 3a and 3b, and a second flexible portion 3c made of any suitable plastic and extending from this curved part toward the preceding arm until it softly contacts the inner surface thereof. At least part of the second portion 3c near the curved part between the root and first portions 3a and 3b extends parallel to the first portion 3b, and the free end of the second portion 3c is bent radially inwardly. The second portion 3c, acting as means for closing a gap 5a (FIG. 1) formed between the preceding and following arms 3, may be an integral part of the first portion 3b or may be formed by a separate member, which can be attached to the first portion by suitable means such as bonding. Although the second portion 3c is relatively short, it may extend toward the root portion 3a of the preceding arm as shown at 3c'. Alternatively, the second portion may be further elongated as shown at 3c". It is essential that every arm on the rotary drum 2 has a second portion 3c, 3c' or 3c".

As described above, according to this invention each arm 3 is provided with the second portion softly contacting the inner surface of the preceding arm so that the leading end of the paper money (shown by the dotted line) sent into the pocket 5 between the adjacent arms can be held by the flexible second portion 3c, 3c' or 3c". Therefore, there is no fear that the leading end of the paper money 10 will jump out of the pocket 5 by striking against the root portion 3a of the preceding arm 3. Also, this prevents the following paper money from coming into collision with the preceding paper money. Furthermore, it is to be noted that since the second portion is set to the curved part of the arm so as to allow at least its part attached to the curved part to extend parallel to the first portion, the leading end of the paper money sent into the pocket 5 can be rigidly and smoothly held by the second portion. Also, the manufacture of the arms is quite easy.