Numbering process and numbering box to carry out the process

NUMBERING PROCESS AND NUMBERING MACHINE FOR CARRYING OUT THE PROCESS

The present invention relates to a numbering process for numbering objects, for example, banknotes, credit cards, passports, identity cards and the like, arranged in rows and columns on the base sheets and process for processing. base sheets using said process.

The present invention also relates to a numbering device or object numbering machine, for example, banknotes, credit notes, passports, identity cards and the like arranged in rows and columns on the base sheets.

In the art of credit note printers in the form of banknotes, for example, banknotes, checks and other similar objects, an important feature that is printed on said objects is a serial number. For example, each banknote printed on a basis, for example a sheet of paper, receives a unique combination of numbers and characters by constructing the serial number of said banknote.

Many numbering processes have been developed in the art. For example, US Patent 4,677,910 discloses a method and apparatus for processing paper printouts of credit securities arranged in. rows and columns on a strip or sheet holder. Media in succession pass a reading instrument which detects the positions of defective banknotes identified by a mark and reports the position to a computer for storage by a computer-controlled cancellation printer that prints the banknotes with notes. a cancellation indication is defective, and by a numbering machine. The numbering mechanisms of this machine are driven forward by the computer in such a way that satisfactory paper prints placed in succession in each longitudinal row are numbered serially, and the damaged notes are abandoned. Subsequently, printed media that have been passed through another reading instrument are cut into individual credit notes or notes, the damaged notes are sorted into a sorting device and the remaining serial numbered notes and credit notes are collected for training. of packs, each having a complete numerical sequence. In this way a correct and complete numerical sequence of the securities in the packs is ensured despite the separation of the defective notes.

With credit titles typically printed in matrix format on a basis, a number of problems arise when it comes to forming individual security packages that are numbered with successive numbers. A first problem is that each base sheet is cut into individual notes. To maintain an appropriate production speed, it is not, in principle, possible to cut each note of each base sheet produced, but preferably a series of sheets are stacked and cut together by appropriate cutting devices known in the art. technique.

It has also been found that a good compromise has been achieved by working with 100 base sheet stacks as it is an optimal size to be cut precisely when the stacked sheets are to be cut into individual banknotes.

Another problem that is faced is the individual numbering of each object produced, for example, securities. It is, of course, not possible to number each banknote produced as it has been cut with consecutive numbers until a designated closed set of numbers has been completed, usually comprising one million numbered banknotes in a given series. In fact, banknotes are numbered before they are cut, ie when the base sheet is still complete, numbering forms part of the banknote printing process rather than outside or after the cutting operation. According to this method, another parameter that must be taken into account is the presence of printing errors or defective notes in the base. Since all banknotes in banknote packages are numbered consecutively, it is unreasonable to constitute banknotes with defective banknotes, which must be replaced later with correct banknotes with the same serial numbers. US 4,677,910 discloses a solution to this problem as indicated hereinabove. In this patent, however, base sheets are individually cut into individual notes: because of printing errors, it is not possible to cut sheet piles into individual note piles, and individual notes must be chosen before stacking to form bundles of notes with consecutive number sequences.

According to another process, sheets with printing errors are removed prior to the numbering operation, and only sheets without defective notes are numbered.

Another numbering process is disclosed in European patent application EP 0598679. In this process, for each sheet comprising N banknote prints arranged in transverse and longitudinal rows, which is effected by means of a numbering machine with N numbering units, the numbering comprising a closed set of numbers with W value and number notes of sheets totaling a multiple of 100, the number N of impressions on banknotes is divisible by 10 and on each sheet each 10 impressions on neighboring banknotes is a group of 10 that receives numbers from the same series of a thousand. In addition, in each sequence of 100 successive sheets, the imprints on the banknotes that are respectively in the same position on the banknote, ie in the same transverse row and longitudinal row, are numbered with 100 successive numbers in a series of one hundred specific, and the ten impressions on the note of a group of ten of each sheet are numbered with successive series numbers of hundreds with the same ones and ten. In addition, banknote impressions in all subsequent 100-sheet sequences are each numbered with successive serial numbers of thousands with in each case the same ten, one hundred, for banknote impressions on the banknotes. same positions on the note, so that the printouts on the banknote of a 100-sheet sequence belonging to one and the same group of ten receive the complete sequence of numbers from a particular thousand series and the printouts on the banknotes of the next 100-sheet sequence belonging to the same group of ten. ten, gets the full sequence of numbers from the next series of a thousand, the impressions on the note belong to several groups of ten numbered so that the numbers in one group of ten are different from the numbers in another group of ten in a value that is at least W / Z, where Z is the number of groups of ten of a sheet.

Another technical field involved in the process of numbering prints or objects arranged in rows and columns on a basis is of course the numbering devices used to print the appropriate number on each print on the individual note. There are two main categories for these devices, which usually comprise several numbering wheels or discs having successive numbers or embossed characters in their circumference. Numbering disks are driven, or sequentially, which means that one of these numbering devices is only able to print successive numbers, one-step displaced disks in a fixed sequence, or freely driven numbering disks that are capable of printing. take any position independently, thus being able to print any desired sequence of numbers.

The first category of numbering devices uses a simple mechanism that can only change numbers in a sequential order. The numbering disk for ones is mechanically coupled to the numbering disk for ten, so that the disk of ten moves forward only when the wheel of the number passes from number 9 to number 0. Similarly, the hundred disc moves one step forward only when the ten wheel and the one wheel move from number 99 to number 00 and so on. This numbering device is therefore unable not only to omit a number but to print any given number successively, and only exact consecutive numbering processes can be performed by this numbering device. These devices are known in the art, for example from US 4677910.

The second category of numbering devices with freely adjustable numbering discs is disclosed in US Patent 5,660,106. This patent discloses numbering devices that use an electromagnetic system to lock the numbering discs in the desired position for each numbering step of the printed product. Therefore, the fully autonomously fixed numbering unit disclosed has the advantage that arbitrarily selectively, even non-sequentially, numbers can be fixed at any time allowing omission of numbers in a sequence. For a detailed explanation of the operation of these numbering units reference is made to the entire disclosure made in US 5660106.

These numbering devices are particularly useful in processes where numbers are omitted between notes numbered by the same numbering device or when the same number has to be printed on two or more successive notes. However, these numbering units also have the disadvantage that they are complicated with respect to sequential numbering devices which are generally purely mechanical and also very hot due to their construction whereby excessive amounts of frictional energy are dissipated.

Another category of hybrid numbering devices is, for example, disclosed in US 4,677,910, primarily in Figures 6 and 6a. This numbering device overcomes the limitation of purely sequential numbering devices and allows changes in the sequence of numbers. The numbering device disclosed in this patent comprises six numbering disks (see, for example, Figure 6a), ie, left to right, one disk 21 for digits 1, one disk 22 for digits ten, one disk 23 one hundred digits, one disk 24 one thousand digits, etc. All discs are mechanically coupled together to provide pure sequential numbering except for the one-digit print disc which is kinematically independent of the other discs and which is driven by an electric motor. Due to the numbering process used in this patent, whereby notes, which are printed on a basis and arranged in a matrix of rows and columns, are numbered with consecutive numbers on the same sheet. Therefore, if a print error appears on the sheet, two neighboring notes, the one with misprint and the next, receive the same serial number, and the digits one do not change. It is therefore necessary to omit a unit in the numbering process, ie to avoid driving the disk corresponding to the digits one. For this reason, this disc is driven independently by a motor and does not move when printing errors are encountered during a sheet numbering operation.

There is therefore a need for simplified numbering methods and devices that are effective in relation to the different problems encountered in the field of numbering objects arranged in rows and columns on a base, ie, the size of the base or stacked base, the process of Numbering used to optimize numbering operations and numbering devices capable of performing the desired numbering process.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved numbering process and an improved numbering device.

More specifically, an object of the invention is to provide a numbering process that allows for a simpler verification of numbered objects to constitute packets of said sequentially numbered objects.

Another object of the invention is to provide a numbering device that is both easy to manufacture but also capable of printing serial numbers in the desired sequence.

The numbering processes and numbering devices according to the invention are defined by the features of the claims.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description given by way of non-limiting examples in the case of securities, for example, banknotes arranged on base sheets, for example, paper, in columns and rows, such examples being illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows the first and last sheet of a series of 100 upwardly numbered sheets by the numbering process according to the invention;

Figures 2a to 2h show successive numbers printed on each note in consecutive series of sheets;

Figures 3a to 3e show successive numbers printed on each note for consecutive series of sheets with notes arranged in five columns and nine rows;

Figures 4a to 4c show successive numbers printed in descending numbering;

Figure 5 shows a diagrammatic representation of the numbering device;

Figures 6 to 8 show a numbering device according to the invention in perspective.

The method according to the invention is first described with reference to Figure 1, in which, as a non-limiting example, a sheet of credit paper was shown, in which banknotes, e.g. banknotes, were printed in rows and columns in a matrix form. Each note has a seven-digit serial number, with (starting from the right) one digit, one digit ten, one digit one hundred, one digit one thousand, and so on. Of course, more digits can be used, also in combination with letters and other alphanumeric characters. Typically, banknotes are printed in closed series of 1 million consecutively numbered banknotes, hence the example of seven-digit series numbers. In addition, by convention, it is defined that the lines are perpendicular to the direction of movement of the sheet and the columns are parallel to said direction. In the example in Figure 1, the sheet consists of 4 * 8 notes (four columns and eight rows).

The formula used in the process according to the invention makes it possible to define the initial digit numbers of the hundreds and thousands to be printed on the first sheet of each series of 100 consecutive sheets for each note printed on the sheet when ascending.

The formula is as follows: Z = (j-1) + (i-1) * n + (m-1) * (k * n), where

Z is the starting number of digits of hundreds and thousands of a given banknote position in a series of 100 banknotes j is the row position of a given banknote, í is the column position of a banknote, n is the total number of sheet rows, m is the number of 100 sheet series (first series, second series, etc.) and k is the number of sheet columns.

The finishing sequence of the finishing machine will then be i / j, 1 = 1 ... k, j = l ... n, starting from 1/1, 1/2, ...

1 / n, 2/1 ... 2 / n ... k / n.

Accordingly, in this example, the number of digits is p = 7, k = 4, n = 8 and eq = 100 (series of 100 sheets), and therefore s = 2.

In the example in Figure 1, each printed note contains, as a non-limiting example, a seven-digit serial number and the notes of successive sheets of a 100-sheet series, which are in the same position, that is, in the same row and in same column, are numbered consecutively so that once the 100 numbered sheets are stacked, a given row and column of the stack contains 100 consecutively numbered notes. In addition, the neighboring row collected from the finishing machine in the same column contains 100 consecutively numbered banknotes with a numbering that directly follows the preceding line numbering, so that the 100-sheet series is cut into stacks of 100 individual banknotes and successive packets are consecutively numbered.

This will be better understood with reference to Figure 1, in which by convention the direction of movement of consecutive sheets is descending as indicated by the arrow. The first note of the first sheet is on the lower left side of said sheet and has a position on line j = 1 and a position on column 1 = 1, as shown in figure 1. The first note is given the number 000 00 00. As explained above, since individual notes are numbered consecutively at the same row and column position, to build a stack of 100 consecutively numbered notes, when 100 sheets are stacked, the note that receives the number 000 00 01 is the banknote having the position j = l and l = 1 on the second sheet of a 100-sheet series, and similarly, the banknote at the same position on the third sheet of the series receives the number 000 00 02, etc. For the sake of clarity, not all 100 sheets in the series were represented in figure 1, but only the first and last sheets are shown. Therefore, in line with the above principle, the note at position j = lei = 1 of the last sheet of a 100-sheet series is given the number 000 00 99. Once the 100 sheets of a single series are stacked, the position j = 1 and l = 1 actually contains 100 consecutively numbered banknotes, with the numbers 000 00 00 (first sheet), 000 00 01 (second sheet), 000 00 02 (third sheet) ... 000 00 99 (100^The leaf).

In accordance with the convention explained above, notes placed at position j = 2 and í = 1 (second row, first column) receive the serial numbers following the serial numbers of notes placed at position j = lei = 1, so since the note at this position of the last sheet of a series of 100 has the number 000 00 99, the note at position j = 2 and i = 1 of the first sheet of the series of 100 receives the serial number 000 01 00, as shown. in figure 1. Accordingly, the note at this position on the last sheet of a 100-sheet series thus receives the number 000 01 99 and so on to the next rows of the same column. Following this convention, banknotes in position j = 8 and i = 1 are assigned serial numbers from 000 07 00 (first sheet) to 000 07 99 (last sheet) and the note having the following serial number 000 08 00 is on the position j = 1 and 1 = 2, ie, first row of the second column of the first sheet. The same principle applies to each column, that is, the note following the note at position j = 8 and i = 2 on the last sheet of a series of 10 sheets is at position j = 1 and 1 = 3 on the first sheet of a series. of 100, etc. This leads to a collection of individual note packs which are numbered consecutively in a simple manner to obtain note packs, for example of a thousand notes which are also numbered consecutively.

For a first sheet of a 100-sheet series, the initial digit number of hundreds, digit 'thousands and higher digits is determined by the above formula.

For example, at position j = 1 and 1 = 1 and in the first series of 100 sheets (m = l), the calculation gives:

Z = (j-1) + (i-1) * n + (m-1) * (k * n) = (1-1) + (1-1) * 8 + (11) * (4 * 8) = 0 + 0 * 8 + 0 * 32 = 0, therefore the number 000 00 00.

For example at position j = 5 and i = 1 of the first series (m = 1), the calculation gives:

Z = (5-1) + (1-1) * 8 + (1-1) * (4 * 8) = 4 + 0 * 8 + 0 * 32 = 4, therefore the number 000 04 00.

In another example, for position j = 4 and i = 3 of the first series the calculation gives:

Z = (4-1) + (3-1) * 8 + (1-1) * (4 * 8) = 3 + 16 + 0 * 32 = 19, therefore the number 000 19 00.

Accordingly, all initial values ​​of the hundreds and thousands digits on each note on the first sheet of a series of 100 are determined by this formula. Once the last note in a 100-sheet series has been numbered, then the first note in the next series should be given the next consecutive serial number. In the example in Figure 1, the last serial number assigned to a banknote corresponds to the banknote at position j = 8 and i = 4, which receives the number 000 31 99. Therefore, the first number to be used on the first sheet at position j-1 and i = 1 of the next 100-sheet series should be 000 32 00.

As in the example of Figure 1, this serial number should be given to the note n at the position j = law = 1 of the second 100-sheet series, since Figure 1 represents the first 100-sheet series.

According to the formula, the calculation gives the following result, where m = 2 (second series of 100 sheets):

Z = (jl) + (yl) * n + (m-1) * (k * n) = (ll) + (1-1) * 8 + (21) * (4 * 8) = 0 + 0 * 8 + 1 * 32 = 32, so the number 000 32 00

Accordingly, the calculated number corresponds with. exactness to the number indicated for the hundreds and thousands digits, ie 32.

Examples of numbering sequences are given in detail in Figures 2a to 2h for consecutive 100-sheet series comprising 4 * 8 notes arranged in four columns and eight rows.

Figure 2a corresponds to Figure 1 in that the numbering sequence for a series of 100 sheets is given at each note position, ie, at position j = 1 and ii 000 00 00 to 000 00 99 (indicated by 000 00 00. .. 99), corresponding to the numbers on the first and last sheet of a series of 100 sheets in Figure 1. The first 100-sheet series thus produces banknotes numbered from 000 00 00 (note at position j = law = 1 of first sheet) to 000 31 99 (note at position j = 8 and i = 4 of last sheet of series).

The second series is shown in Figure 2b and produces banknotes numbered from 000 32 00 to 000 63 99.

The third series, shown in Figure 2c, produces banknotes numbered from 000 64 00 to 000 95 99.

The same applies to the series of 100 consecutive sheets represented in figures 2d (fourth grade), 2e (fifth grade), 2f (sixth grade), 2g (seventh grade) and 2h (eighth grade) and the explanation given above for the first series applies similarly to these consecutive series, using the formula given to determine the digits of hundreds and thousands of the first sheet of each series.

Other calculation examples demonstrate the use of the formula. For example in series 4 column 1, the numbers range from 000 99 99 (row 4) to 001 00 00 (row 5).

Using the formula to calculate the number to print at position j = 5 and í = 1 of the fourth grade, we calculated:

Z = (5-1) + (1-1) * 8 + (4-1) (8 * 4) = 4 + 0 * 8 + 3 * 32 = 100, so the number 001 00 00 for this position in the first Series 4 sheet.

Similarly, for series 7, at position j = law = 2, the calculation with the formula results in 200 and hence the number 002 00 00 for the note at this position on the first sheet of this series.

Figures 3a to 3e show series of numbers for series of 100 sheets arranged in 5 columns and 9 rows. Figure 3a shows the numbers from 000 00 00 to 000 44 99, figure 3b from 000 45 00 to 000 89 99, figure 3c from 000 90 to 001 34 99, figure 3d from 001 35 00 to 001 79 99 and Figure 3e of 001 80 00 to 002 24 99.

Again, as in Figures 1 and 2a to 2h, the numbers used in the digits corresponding to the hundreds digits and the highest digits on each note on the first sheet of each series of 100 are calculated with the above formula.

For example, position j = law = 5 in the first series (m = 1) gives the following value for Z:

Z = (1-1) + (5-1) * 9 + (1-1) * (5 * 9) = 4 * 9 = 36, so serial number 000 36 00.

Another example for position j = 2 and i = 2 in series 3 (m = 3), Z has the following value:

Z = {2-1) + (2-1) * 9 + (3-1) * 5 * 9 = 1 + 9 + 2 * 45 = 100, therefore serial number 001 00 00.

All initial values ​​for numbering of the first sheet of each 100-sheet series are, therefore, easy to calculate with a simple algorithm and can be programmed very well for each series on a computer, for example once the Number of banknotes per sheet.

Due to the specific algorithm used to number base sheet notes, it is not possible to use conventional numbering devices. In fact, with only a series of 100 sheets, notes of a particular note position on the sheet are numbered consecutively. For example, at position j = lei = 1, the serial numbers to be printed are on each sheet of the first 100 sheet series, as explained above, from 000 00 00 to 000 00 99 (see figures 1 or 2a for example) . For digits one and digits ten only, there is serial numbering in consecutive sequence.

Once the first 100-sheet series is numbered, the next number to print on the first sheet of the second 100-sheet series at position j = lei = l is not 000 01 00 (consecutive number after 000 00 99) but 000 32 00 (see figure 2b). It is therefore necessary to be able to omit the numbers from 000 00 99 to 000 32 00. For digits one and ten there is in fact no omission, since 00 immediately follows 99, but the digit of hundreds and the digit of thousands must be omitted from 00 to 32 in this position of the sheet. The same problem applies to all banknote positions, where, as shown in figures 2a to 2h, there is an omission of at least hundreds and thousands digits after each series of 100 sheets, and this omission occurs for each new series of 100 sheets.

For descending numbering, a similar formula may be used, and the explanation given above for ascending numbering applies mutatis mutandi. The formula is: ZD / 10³- ((j-1) + (i-1) * n + (m-1) * k * n), where D is the serial number from which descending numbering begins. This formula allows you to set the starting number to be printed on the first base to be numbered.

Figures 4a-4c show an example of descending numbering for successive layers using said formula for determining the starting numbers of a 100-sheet series (S = 2) with numbers containing eight digits (P = 8). In this example, the descending numbering starts at the number 200 * 000 (D = 200 * 000). In Figure 4a, the numbering sequence for the series M = 1 to M = 3 is disclosed with the numbers 00200000 (m = 1, j = 1, i = 1) to 00190401 (m = 3, j = 8, i = 4); In Figure 4b, the numbering sequence for the m-4 am = 6 series is disclosed with the numbers 00190400 (m = 4, j = 1,1,1 = 1) to 00180801 (m = 6, j = 8, i = 4 ); and in Figure 4c, the numbering sequence for the m = 7, m = 8 and m = 63 series is disclosed with the numbers 00180800 (m = 7, j = 1, i = 1) through 00174401 (m = 8, j = 8, t = 4) and layer 63 00001600 (j = 1, i = 1) to 00000001 (j = 8, i = 2). As can be seen, the sequence is completed in series 63, column 2 and row 8. This is logical since in the disclosed configuration of 32 objects per base each 100 base series gives 3'200 numbered objects. . 62 series produce 198 * 400 numbered objects (62 * 3 * 200), and to get 200 * 000 numbered objects, you need to number 200 * 000-198 * 400 = 1 * 600 objects in the series 63^The. Since one series produces 3 * 200 objects, half of a series is sufficient to produce the remaining objects.

As indicated above, you must use numbering machines that allow you to omit numbers to follow the chosen numbering process. US 5,660,106, for example, which was cited in the present application, discloses a freely programmable numbering device such that it allows printing of any given number, even non-sequential numbers.

However, this numbering device is complicated to manufacture, therefore expensive, has a tendency to produce heat and is much slower when changing numbers due to its complicated mechanism. Accordingly, there is a need to develop a simpler numbering machine capable of carrying out the numbering process according to the invention which is fast, accurate and reliable.

The numbering device according to the invention comprises a hybrid construction combining at least two different actuation techniques in which the disks used for digits one and ten are turned on and driven as a sequential numbering device, ie. , a purely mechanical numbering unit and at least the hundreds and thousands digit discs are driven independently by, for example, exclusive engines, to allow omission of numbers.

In addition, the highest digits numbered by disks 5, 6, 7 and 8 (tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands, millions...) Must be driven sequentially by a mechanical system which will be driven in the same way as single digits. and ten.

In fact, as shown in the examples given above, it is sufficient to have only one disc for digits one and ten driven in a purely sequential manner, since these digits are always in a consecutive sequence (00 to 99) for successive sheets to be be numbered. This is particularly advantageous in that these two digits are changed on each sheet and a mechanically acting mechanism is more reliable and faster than the mechanism used in freely programmable numbering devices, as disclosed in US 5660106. The hundreds, thousands and higher digits do not change on each numbered sheet and the omitted numbers as described and explained above with reference to the examples in figures 1, 2a to 2h and 3a to 3e, therefore freely programmable mechanisms are required. to move the corresponding numbering disks, and the drive mechanisms are activated only when the digits 4 and 5 change, which happens every 100 sheets.

An embodiment of a device according to the invention is described with reference to figures 5 to 8.

Referring to Figure 5, the principle of the numbering device is first explained for sequential mechanical numbering, ie for digits one and digits ten. The numbering device comprises seven numbering disks 1 to 7, which are one disk 1 for one, one disk 2 for ten, one disk 3 for one hundred, and so on. Preferably, all discs are mounted on a frame 8 so that they can rotate about a common axis 9. Discs 1 and 2 are kinematically connected to each other in a manner known in the art, for example, in US 4,677,910. A forward-moving lever 10 known per se is used for forward movement of discs 1, 2 of numbering. The lever 10 can rotate about the axis 9 and has at one end a drive roller 11 and at the other end a lug holder 12 which operates the lugs 13, called front lugs. 0 Tongue holder 12 with the tongues 13 operable is pivotable 9 about the respective arm of the forward lever 10. The tongues 13 are spring-biased 50 such that they exert pressure in the direction of the numbering discs 1, 2 and the length of the associated operational tongues 13 is designed and sized in a known manner such that the tongues 13 operable. associated with the numbering disk 1 always acts on the teeth of this numbering disk 1, but that the operative tongue 13 associated with the tens numbering disk 2 can act on the teeth of the disk 2 only when the numbering disk of the ones is fixed at number 0 in a downward numbering process.

For further explanations concerning the operation of the mechanical numbering device, reference is made to US 4677910, in particular column 4, line 54 to column 5, line 65, column 11, line 16 to column 12, and line 31

Then, as shown schematically in Figure 5, the hundreds digit disk 3 and the thousands digit disk 4 are driven independently, for example by motors 15 and 16, by means of pinions 17, 18 (see figure 7). This causes both disks 3 and 4 to move rapidly to any desired number, so that the numbering sequence printed by the numbering device can be programmed. The principle of an independent numbering disc drive motor was disclosed in US 4677910 and reference is made to this patent for detailed operating explanations. Preferably, the motors are automatically driven by a computer (not shown) in which the numbering sequence has been programmed / calculated for certain sheet series. Omissions in the numbering sequences are thus known and may be applied to the numbering devices of a numbering machine during the numbering process.

Actuation of the disc mechanism 6 to 8, etc. Numbering numbers corresponding to tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands and higher digits (if any) are also preferably mechanically executed in sequence. However, it is only triggered when the algorithm requires increasing the tens of thousands and subsequently the hundreds of thousands and higher digits.

Referring to Figures 6 to 8, an example of the drive mechanism 5 to 7 of a numbering device according to the invention is described. Numbering devices comprise nine discs (discs 1 to 8 and disc 8 '), with disc 8' for example being used to print a prefix of the number printed by discs 1 to 8. 0 The drive mechanism comprises a tongue carrier 12 which carries 25 additional independent tongues, said carrier 12 being pivotally supported about the axis 9. The tongues 25 are rotatably attached to the carrier 12 of tongues by an axis 14 and pre-biased by spring 26 so that they are pressed in the direction of the teeth on the sides of the numbering discs 5, 6 and 7. These tongues 25 will only act when a guide tongue 27 is released by the drive cam 28. The cam 28 rotates by means of an electromagnetic actuator 29, which increases by its actuation the digits 5, 6, 7 according to the layer initial number algorithm. This system is mainly similar to the mechanical arrangements for discs 1 and 2. The difference lies in their drive by the tongues 25 only when mechanically free.

The numbering device according to the invention comprises three thresholds: a purely mechanical threshold which is the most reliable mechanism for constantly changing digits 1 and 10, a motor drive threshold for hundreds and thousands which is also fast for digits which do not constantly change but omit numbers, and an electromagnetic threshold for higher digits, which change consecutively in numerical sequence with a lower frequency.

A numbering device according to the present invention builds an optimal solution between the complexity and reliability of the principle of the systems used to drive the numbering disks, and also allows the particular numbering process to be performed effectively.

From the disclosed numbering processes, a method of processing a sheet or band base can be implemented. In this method of processing, each sheet or each respective band length contains objects arranged in k columns in rows, said objects being numbered with a number with p digits comprising the digits las, s + 1 and r + 1 a p. Stacks of sheets or repeated band lengths are transformed into individual sheets and formed and processed into individual object packages by cutting said rows and columns, wherein q is divisible with an even result by 10.^s, the packets resulting from sequentially cutting successive stacks constitute a continuous stream of sequentially numbered objects by the formula disclosed for ascending or descending numbering. As indicated above, in the finishing machine, once the series of sheets or stacks of cut sheet strips have been cut successive stacks, the sequence collected is preferably i / j, i = 1 ... k, j = l ... n, starting from 1/1, 1/2 ... 1 / n, 2/1 ... 2 / n ... k / n. Stacks made up of successive rows from the first column, then rows from the second column, etc. are collected.

Embodiments of the invention are given by way of example only and cannot be construed as limiting the scope of the claims.

In addition, the examples described in this patent application mainly refer to credit securities arranged on a base sheet, for example paper. It is to be understood, of course, that the invention is not limited to securities but is applicable to all objects that receive a serial number and are arranged in rows and columns on successive bases entering a numbering machine.