초록 ▼

An apparatus for testing for particulate contaminants in deposited mail-like articles includes an enclosure adapted for receiving deposited mail-like articles, a squeezing mechanism located within the enclosure and adapted for pressuring opposite flat sides of said deposited mail-like articles for e

An apparatus for testing for particulate contaminants in deposited mail-like articles includes an enclosure adapted for receiving deposited mail-like articles, a squeezing mechanism located within the enclosure and adapted for pressuring opposite flat sides of said deposited mail-like articles for expelling air along with any particulate matter from said deposited mail-like articles and into the enclosure, and a sensing apparatus operatively coupled to the enclosure and adapted for determining the presence of particulate contaminants in air expelled from the deposited mail-like articles. The apparatus may be embodied in a depository of an automated teller machine.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. An apparatus for testing for particulate contaminants in deposited mail-like articles, comprising: an enclosure adapted for receiving deposited mail-like articles: a squeezing mechanism located within said enclosure and adapted for pressuring opposite flat sides of the deposi

What is claimed is: 1. An apparatus for testing for particulate contaminants in deposited mail-like articles, comprising: an enclosure adapted for receiving deposited mail-like articles: a squeezing mechanism located within said enclosure and adapted for pressuring opposite flat sides of the deposited mail-like articles for expelling air along with any particulate matter from the deposited mail-like articles and into said enclosure; and a sensing apparatus operatively coupled to said enclosure and adapted for determining the presence of particulate contaminants in air expelled from the deposited mail-like articles, wherein said squeezing mechanism comprises a pair of opposed rollers located in a lower portion of said enclosure and adapted to pass deposited mail-like articles there between, and further wherein said enclosure is formed to gravitationally feed deposited mail-like articles to said rollers. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a pair of guides each having a planar surface oriented substantially parallel to said rollers, wherein said planar surfaces are oriented on opposing sides of any deposited mail-like articles and adapted to direct any deposited mail-like articles between said rollers. 3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said enclosure includes an inlet port adapted for receiving deposited mail-like articles and a closure device adapted to close said inlet port while said squeezing mechanism is expelling air from said deposited mail-like articles. 4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said inlet port is of a size to admit only articles capable of being handled by said rollers. 5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said enclosure is adapted to hang from a wall with said inlet port extending through the wall. 6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said enclosure is adapted to fit within a mail box or within an automated teller machine. 7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a controller adapted to activate said squeezing mechanism and said sensing apparatus in response to a detection of mail like articles in said enclosure. 8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising means for generating an alarm signal in response to a detection of particulate contamination in said enclosure. 9. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a communication device adapted to signal information concerning said apparatus. 10. A depository for mail-like articles, comprising: an enclosure adapted for receiving deposited mail-like articles; a depository port adapted for passing deposited mail-like articles into said enclosure; a squeezing mechanism located in said enclosure and adapted for pressuring opposite flat sides of the deposited mail-like articles for expelling air along with particulate matter from the deposited mail-like articles into said enclosure; wherein said depository port includes a closure device adapted to close said inlet port while said squeezing mechanism is expelling air from said deposited mail-like articles; and a sensing apparatus operatively coupled to said enclosure and adapted for determining the presence of particulate contaminants in air expelled from the deposited mail-like articles, further wherein said squeezing mechanism comprises a pair of opposed rollers adapted to pass deposited mail-like articles there between and apply physical pressure to opposing sides of the deposited mail-like articles passing there between. 11. The depository of claim 10, wherein said rollers are located in a lower portion of said enclosure and further wherein said enclosure is formed to gravitationally feed deposited mail-like articles to said rollers. 12. The depository of claim 11, further comprising a pair of guides each having a planar surface oriented substantially parallel to said rollers, wherein said planar surfaces are oriented on opposing sides of any deposited mail-like articles and adapted to direct any deposited mail-like articles between said rollers. 13. The depository of claim 10, further comprising a communication device adapted to signal information concerning said depository. 14. The depository of claim 13, wherein said communication device includes a display device adapted to advise potential depositors concerning operating conditions and further includes an alarm for signaling detection of particulate contamination. 15. An automated teller machine for receiving mail-like articles deposited therein, comprising: an enclosure adapted for receiving deposited mail-like articles; a depository port adapted for passing deposited mail-like articles into said enclosure; a squeezing mechanism located in said enclosure and adapted for pressuring opposite flat sides of the deposited mail-like articles for expelling air along with particulate matter from the deposited mail-like articles into said enclosure; and a sensing apparatus operatively coupled to said enclosure and adapted for determining the presence of particulate contaminants in any air expelled from the deposited mail-like articles, wherein said squeezing mechanism comprises a pair of opposed rollers adapted to pass deposited mail-like articles there between and located in a lower portion of said enclosure, and further wherein said enclosure is formed to gravitationally feed deposited mail-like articles between said rollers. 16. An apparatus for testing for particulate contaminants in deposited mail-like articles, comprising: an enclosure adapted for receiving deposited mail-like articles: a squeezing mechanism located within said enclosure and adapted for pressuring opposite flat sides of the deposited mail-like articles for expelling air along with any particulate matter from the deposited mail-like articles and into said enclosure; and a sensing apparatus operatively coupled to said enclosure and adapted for determining the presence of particulate contaminants in air expelled from the deposited mail-like articles, wherein said enclosure includes an inlet port adapted for receiving deposited mail-like articles, and further wherein said enclosure hangs from a wall with said inlet port extending through the wall. 17. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising a communication device adapted to signal information concerning said depository, said communication device including a display device adapted to advise potential depositors concerning operating conditions and further including an alarm for signaling detection of particulate contamination.