A banknote acceptor includes a validator, a removable banknote stacker and a removable non locked banknote cassette. The removable banknote stacker, when secured in the banknote acceptor, is operable by a drive member of the acceptor that remains with the acceptor when the removable banknote stacker is removed. With this arrangement, any operation problems of the removable stacker are easily overcome by replacement of the stacker. Preferably, the banknote acceptor, with the stacker removed, is a...

A banknote acceptor and dispenser uses a stacked configuration of the validator the banknote accumulator and dispenser and the banknote cassette. The banknote accumulator includes a count window providing information of the banknotes stored in the accumulator. Preferably the count window has an electronic display of the number of banknotes accumulated.

A simple high optical efficiency reflective optical sensor for bill validator uses an inexpensive bulb having a case which is transparent to efficient luminous radiation. This case is used as a wave guide to return reflected radiation to at least one photo detector situated directly under the transparent bottom of the case. The bulb emits a narrow beam of light and is positioned in close proximity and perpendicular to a bill surface and illuminates it. The light reflected or fluoresced by the bi...

A planar induction sensor for sensing of security features of documents having changing magnetic and (or) conducting properties is of a multilayer printed circuit board design. The sensor comprises a planar current transformer with a spiral-type primary coils and one or several turns of secondary coil in an adjacent layer of the printed circuit board. The secondary coil of the current transformer is connected to an operating coil, which is situated at a sensing edge of the sensor. The operating ...