COIN RECOGNITION AND REMOVAL FROM A MATERIAL STREAM
The automated process, system and apparatus disclosed recognizes, and pulls or removes coins and/or currency from a stream of refuse and/or recycle material, such as, “3 mix” material (trash with heavy glass content).
1 . An apparatus tool for selecting a currency from a volume of assorted material, comprising:
an eddy current, wherein the eddy current has a means for separating a nonferrous material from the volume of assorted material;
an optical sorter in communication with the eddy current, wherein the optical sorter has a means for receiving the nonferrous material, wherein the optical sorter comprises:
a camera having a means for capturing an image of the nonferrous material;
a processor having a means for selecting a shape of the nonferrous material based on the image; and
a compressed air valve having a means for ejecting a volume of shape sized selected material; and
a finger deck screener in communication with the optical sorter and wherein the finger deck screener has a means for receiving the volume of shape sized selected material and separate a volume of fugitive kicked nonferrous material from the currency;
a vibrating medium having a means for receiving the currency; and
a coin sorter.
2 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the processor comprises:
a data collection unit having a means for collecting data from the camera; and
a comparative analysis unit having a means to compare the data collected by the data collection unit of a shape of a material and a preselected shape of a material.
3 . The apparatus according to claim 2 , further comprising:
a storage device unit configured to store data collected from the data collection unit;
a historical data unit configured to categorize historical data from the data collection unit and the storage device unit;
an assessment analysis unit having a means for receiving data from the data collection unit and a means for determining factors such the shape.
4 . The apparatus according to claim 3 further comprising a transceiver unit having a means for sending and receiving data from the optical sorter.
5 . A method for selecting a volume of currency from a volume of assorted material, comprising the steps of:
separating a volume of nonferrous metals from the volume of assorted material;
imaging the volume of nonferrous metals into an image;
separating the volume of nonferrous metals based on a shape in the image into a volume of shape sized selected material;
removing a volume of fugitive kicked nonferrous metal from the volume of shape sized selected material; and further separating the volume of shape sized selected material into the volume of currency;
cleaning the volume of currency; and
sorting the volume of currency.
6 . A method for recognizing and removing a plurality of coins from a stream of refuse and/or recycle material, comprising the steps of:
imaging the stream; and
recognizing the plurality of coins by shape.
7 . The method according to claim 6 further comprising the step of removing the recognized plurality of coins from the stream.
8 . The method according to claim 6 , further comprising the step of recognizing the plurality of coins by size.
9 . The method according to claim 6 , further comprising the step of comparing the plurality of coins recognized by shape to a set of preselected shapes.
10 . The method according to claim 8 , further comprising the step of comparing the plurality of coins recognized by shape to a set of preselected shapes.
11 . The method according to claim 10 , further comprising the step of comparing the plurality of coins recognized by size to a set of preselected sizes.