Automatic credit loan machine

Abstract

This invention provides an automatic credit loan machine operable in response to a credit card introduced thereinto to dispense a predetermined loan of cash, which comprises: means for testing the genuineness of a credit card introduced; means operable in response to the testing means for reading the identification number of the credit card and testing its validity; means for recording the identification number when it is valid; means for storing genuine cards that have been introduced into the machine so as not to be returned; and means for dispensing a predetermined loan of cash when the identification number of the credit card introduced is valid.

What we claim is: 
     
       1. An automatic credit loan machine operable in response to credit cards introduced thereinto, each said card having its own identification number and at least one element by which to recognize its genuineness, comprising in combination: detection means for detecting said element on a credit card introduced into said machine to test its genuineness; card reading means coupled with said detection means and operable in response to said detection means for reading said identification number of said card; validity testing means for testing the validity of said identification number that has been read; recording means; means for controlling said recording means to record said identification number only when said number is valid; card storage means for storing genuine cards introduced into said machine; card conveyor means for moving cards from said detection means to said reading means and then to said storage means; cash storage means for storing cash; and control means coupled with said cash storage means and with said validity testing means for dispensing a loan of cash when said identification number is valid. 
     
     
       2. The machine of claim 1, further including means for preventing introduction into said machine of another credit card until the previously introduced credit card has been processed and transported to said storage means. 
     
     
       3. The machine of claim 1, further including means for stopping said conveying means when said card has not passed a predetermined point between said detecting means and said reading means within a predetermined period of time after said conveying means started to convey said credit card from said detecting means toward said reading means. 
     
     
       4. The machine of claim 1, further including means for setting a predetermined period of time required for said reading means to finish reading said identification number of a credit card; and means for preventing the operation of said dispensing means when passage of said predetermined period of time has been repeated a predetermined number of times. 
     
     
       5. The machine of claim 1, further including system reset means set to a first condition by said cash that is going to be dispensed and to a second condition by said cash leaving said reset means, said reset means being operative upon being set to its second condition to reset the machine to its original condition of readiness to receive a card. 
     
     
       6. The machine of claim 1 wherein said detection means includes first and second sequentially arranged detection stations, and said machine includes means for closing the path of card travel between said first and second stations after a card travels from said first station to said second station. .Iadd. 7. Access-control equipment for selectively enabling access to a facility comprising: first means for receiving a part at least of a coded token presented to the equipment and for admitting the token further to the equipment only in the event that said part has a predetermined characteristic, said characteristic being a characteristic indicative, at least partly, of authenticity of the token, second means responsive to any token admitted as aforesaid for reading from the admitted token information encoded thereon, third means that is selectively operable to enable access to said facility, and fourth means for operating said third means in dependence upon the information read from said token, said first means providing an entrance to the equipment for the coded token as presented to the equipment and also including a shutter device for blocking entry of the presented token through said entrance, and shutter-control means responsive to said part of the presented token for displacing said shutter device to admit the token through said entrance only in the event that said part of the token has said predetermined characteristic. .Iaddend..Iadd. 8. Access-control equipment according to claim 7 wherein said second means is spaced from said entrance, and the equipment includes a token-transport arrangement for transporting along a path to said second means any token admitted to the equipment through said entrance. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 9. Access-control equipment for use with a coded token having a marginal part that has a predetermined characteristic comprising: means defining an external mouth for receiving the token as presented to the equipment with said marginal part leading, switchable token-entry means for controlling entry of said token to the equipment through said mouth, said token-entry means having a first state in which said token-entry means restricts entry of said token through said mouth to said marginal part alone and a second state in which said token-entry means is operative to admit the whole token to said equipment through said mouth, means responsive to entry through said mouth of said marginal part having said predetermined characteristic to switch said token-entry means from its first operative state to its second operative state, token-reading means for receiving said token only when admitted in whole through said mouth, said token-reading means reading from the received token information encoded thereon, and access-enabling means operable in dependence upon the said encoded information read from the token. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 10. Access-control system as recited in claim 9, wherein said switchable token-entry means includes a shutter device blocking entry of the token presented through said mouth in said first state of said switchable token-entry means, and wherein said means switching said token-entry means displaces said shutter device from said mouth in said second state of said switchable token-entry means. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 11. Access-control equipment for selectively enabling access to a facility comprising: first means for receiving a part at least of a coded token presented to the equipment and for admitting the token further to the equipment only in the event that said part has a predetermined characteristic, said characteristic being a characteristic indicative, at least partly, of authenticity of the token, second means responsive to any token admitted as aforesaid for reading from the admitted token information encoded thereon, third means that is selectively operable to enable access to said facility, and fourth means for operating said third means in dependence upon the information read from said token, said first means providing an entrance to the equipment for the coded token as presented to the equipment and also including fifth means for affording a restriction to entry of the presented token through said entrance, and sixth means responsive to said part of the presented token for controlling said fifth means to remove said restriction and to thereby admit the token through said entrance only in the event that said part of the token has said predetermined characteristic. .Iaddend..Iadd. 12. Access-control equipment according to claim 11, wherein said second means is spaced from said entrance, and the equipment includes a token-transport arrangement for transporting along a path to said second means any token admitted to the equipment through said entrance. .Iaddend.