Author: claimsbot

1. A method of locating a jewel comprising the nozzle of a water cutting system;
providing a jewel having a water discharge orifice extending therethrough and having a locating surface;
providing a first support structure component having a water discharge passageway extending therethrough and having an exterior locating surface at the water receiving end of the water discharge passageway;
providing a second support structure component having a water directing passageway formed therethrough and having a jewel receiving cavity formed therein at the water discharge end of the directing passageway;
positioning the jewel in the jewel receiving cavity of the second support structure component;
positioning the locating surface of the first support structure component in engagement with the locating surface of the jewel; and
thereafter directing a flow of water through the water directing passageway of the second support structure component, through the orifice of the jewel, and through the water discharge passageway of the first support structure component.
2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the step of providing a second support structure component includes the step of providing the second support structure component with a chamber and including the initial step of positioning the first support structure component in the chamber of the second support structure component.
3. The method according to claim 1 wherein the orifice extending through the jewel has a diameter of between about 0.0004 inches and about 0.0016 inches.
4. The method according to claim 1 wherein the jewel has a width of about 0.072 inches and a thickness of about 0.035 inches.
5. An apparatus for locating and retaining a jewel of the type comprising a nozzle for a water cutting system comprising:
a jewel having a water discharge orifice extending therethrough and having a locating surface at the water receiving end of the orifice;
a first support structure component having a water discharge passageway extending therethrough and having a locating surface located at the water receiving end of the water directing passageway;
a second support structure component having a water directing passageway formed therethrough, having a jewel receiving cavity formed therein at the water discharge end of the water directing passageway, and having a chamber formed therein for receiving the first support structure component;
the chamber for retaining the first support structure component with the locating surface thereof in engagement with the locating surface of the jewel.
6. The apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the jewel is formed from a material selected from the group consisting of diamonds, sapphires, and rubies.
7. The apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the orifice of the jewel has a diameter of between about 0.0004 inches and about 0.0016 inches.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

What is claimed is:

1. A transfer case comprising:
a housing supporting an input shaft and an output shaft;
a planetary gearset including a first sun gear, a second sun gear, a carrier coupled to said input shaft, a first pinion supported on said carrier and meshed with said first sun gear, a second pinion supported on said carrier and meshed with said second sun gear and said first pinion, and a ring gear coupled to said output shaft and meshed with one of said first and second pinions;
a first clutch operable in a locked mode to couple said ring gear for common rotation with said carrier and which is further operable in a released mode to permit relative rotation therebetween;
a second clutch operable in a released mode to permit rotation of said first sun gear and which is further operable in a locked mode to brake said first sun gear;
a third clutch operable in a released mode to permit rotation of said second sun gear and which is further operable in a locked mode to brake said second sun gear; and
a control system for controlling actuation of said first, second and third clutches to establish three drive connections between said input shaft and said output shaft, wherein a first drive connection is established with said first clutch in its locked mode and each of said second and third clutches in its released mode, wherein a second drive connection is established with said second clutch in its locked mode and each of said first and third clutches in its released mode, and wherein a third drive connection is established with said third clutch in its locked mode and each of said first and second clutches in its released mode.
2. The transfer case of claim 1 wherein said first clutch includes a first clutch pack mounted between said carrier and said ring gear, a piston movable between a first position and a second position relative to said first clutch pack, and a biasing mechanism for biasing said piston toward its first piston, said piston is operable in its first position to engage said first clutch pack to couple said ring gear for rotation with said carrier and define said locked mode of said first clutch, and said piston is operable in its second position to release said first clutch pack to permit relative rotation between said ring gear and said carrier and define said released mode of said first clutch.
3. The transfer case of claim 2 wherein said second clutch includes a second clutch pack mounted between said housing and said first sun gear, and a second piston movable between a first position and a second position relative to said second clutch pack, said second piston is operable in its first position to engage said second clutch pack to brake rotation of said first sun gear and define said locked mode of said second clutch, and said second piston is operable in its second position to release said second clutch pack to permit rotation of said first sun gear and define said released mode of said second clutch.
4. The transfer case of claim 3 wherein said third clutch includes a third clutch pack mounted between said housing and said second sun gear, and a third piston movable between a first position and a second position relative to said third clutch pack, said third piston is operable in its first position to engage said third clutch pack to brake rotation of said second sun gear and define said locked mode of said third clutch, and said third piston is operable in its second position to release said third clutch pack to permit rotation of said second sun gear and define said released mode of said third clutch.
5. The transfer case of claim 4 wherein said first piston is disposed in a first pressure chamber, said second piston is disposed in a second pressure chamber, and said third piston is disposed in a third pressure chamber, and wherein said control system includes a source of hydraulic fluid, a first control valve in fluid communication with said first pressure chamber, a second control valve in fluid communication with said second pressure chamber, and a third control valve in fluid communication with said third pressure chamber, said control system further including a pump for supplying hydraulic fluid from said fluid source to each of said first, second and third control valves, and a controller for controlling actuation of said first, second and third control valves so as to control the supply of hydraulic fluid to and from each of said pressure chambers.
6. The transfer case of claim 2 wherein said first clutch includes a drum housing fixed to said output shaft and a hub fixed to said carrier, wherein said first clutch pack includes a set of first clutch plates mounted to said drum housing which are alternately interleaved with a set of second clutch plates mounted to said hub, and wherein said biasing mechanism includes a pressure plate fixed for movement with said piston and which is engageable with said first clutch pack, and a spring acting between said drum housing and said pressure plate for urging said pressure plate into engagement with said first clutch pack.
7. The transfer case of claim 3 wherein said second clutch includes a clutch drum fixed to said first sun gear such that said second clutch pack is mounted between said housing and said clutch drum.
8. The transfer case of claim 1 wherein said ring gear meshes with said second pinion such that said first drive connection establishes a direct speed ratio with rotation of said input shaft causing said output shaft to be driven at a common speed, wherein said second drive connection establishes an underdrive speed ratio with rotation of said input shaft causing said output shaft to be driven at a reduced speed, and wherein said third drive connection establishes an overdrive speed ratio with rotation of said input shaft causing said output shaft to be driven at an increased speed.
9. The transfer case of claim 1 wherein said ring gear meshes with said first pinion such that said first drive connection establishes a direct speed ratio with rotation of said input shaft causing said output shaft to be driven at a common speed, wherein said second drive connection establishes an overdrive speed ratio with rotation of said input shaft causing said output shaft to be driven at an increased speed, and wherein said third drive connection establishes an underdrive speed ratio with rotation of said input shaft causing said output shaft to be driven at a reduced speed.
10. A transfer case comprising:
a housing supporting an input shaft and an output shaft;
a planetary gearset including a first sun gear, a second sun gear, a carrier coupled to said input shaft, a compound pinion gear supported on said carrier and having a first pinion meshed with said first sun gear and a second pinion fixed to said first pinion and meshed with said second sun gear, and a ring gear coupled to said output shaft and meshed with one of said first and second pinions;
a first clutch operable in a locked mode to couple said ring gear for common rotation with said carrier and which is further operable in a released mode to permit relative rotation therebetween;
a second clutch operable in a released mode to permit rotation of said first sun gear and which is further operable in a locked mode to brake said first sun gear;
a third clutch operable in a released mode to permit rotation of said second sun gear and which is further operable in a locked mode to brake said second sun gear; and
a control system for controlling actuation of said first, second and third clutches to establish three drive connections between said input shaft and said output shaft, wherein a first drive connection is established with said first clutch in its locked mode and each of said second and third clutches in its released mode, wherein a second drive connection is established with said second clutch in its locked mode and each of said first and third clutches in its released mode, and wherein a third drive connection is established with said third clutch in its locked mode and each of said first and second clutches in its released mode.
11. The transfer case of claim 10 wherein said first clutch includes a first clutch pack mounted between said carrier and said ring gear, a piston movable between a first position and a second position relative to said first clutch pack, and a biasing mechanism for biasing said piston toward its first piston, said piston is operable in its first position to engage said first clutch pack to couple said ring gear for rotation with said carrier and define said locked mode of said first clutch, and said piston is operable in its second position to release said first clutch pack to permit relative rotation between said ring gear and said carrier and define said released mode of said first clutch.
12. The transfer case of claim 11 wherein said second clutch includes a second clutch pack mounted between said housing and said first sun gear, and a second piston movable between a first position and a second position relative to said second clutch pack, said second piston is operable in its first position to engage said second clutch pack to brake rotation of said first sun gear and define said locked mode of said second clutch, and said second piston is operable in its second position to release said second clutch pack to permit rotation of said first sun gear and define said released mode of said second clutch.
13. The transfer case of claim 12 wherein said third clutch includes a third clutch pack mounted between said housing and said second sun gear, and a third piston movable between a first position and a second position relative to said third clutch pack, said third piston is operable in its first position to engage said third clutch pack to brake rotation of said second sun gear and define said locked mode of said third clutch, and said third piston is operable in its second position to release said third clutch pack to permit rotation of said second sun gear and define said released mode of said third clutch.
14. The transfer case of claim 13 wherein said first piston is disposed in a first pressure chamber, said second piston is disposed in a second pressure chamber, and said third piston is disposed in a third pressure chamber, and wherein said control system includes a source of hydraulic fluid, a first control valve in fluid communication with said first pressure chamber, a second control valve in fluid communication with said second pressure chamber, and a third control valve in fluid communication with said third pressure chamber, said control system further including a pump for supplying hydraulic fluid from said fluid source to each of said first, second and third control valves, and a controller for controlling actuation of said first, second and third control valves so as to control the supply of hydraulic fluid to and from each of said pressure chambers.
15. The transfer case of claim 10 wherein said first drive connection establishes a direct speed ratio with rotation of said input shaft causing said output shaft to be driven at a common speed, wherein said second drive connection establishes a first overdrive speed ratio with rotation of said input shaft causing said output shaft to be driven at an increased speed, and wherein said third drive connection establishes a second overdrive speed ratio with rotation of said input shaft causing said output shaft to be driven at an increased speed.
16. A transfer case comprising:
a housing supporting an input shaft and an output shaft;
a planetary gearset including a first sun gear, a second sun gear, a carrier coupled to said input shaft, a first pinion supported on said carrier and meshed with said first sun gear, a second pinion supported on said carrier and meshed with said second sun gear and said first pinion, and a ring gear coupled to said output shaft and meshed with one of said first and second pinions;
a first clutch including a first clutch pack operably connected between said ring gear and said carrier and a first actuator movable between first and second positions relative to said clutch pack, said first actuator is operable in its first position to engage said first clutch pack for coupling said ring gear to said carrier, and said first actuator is operable in its second position to disengage said first clutch pack for permitting relative rotation between said ring gear and said carrier;
a second clutch including a second clutch pack operably connected between said housing and said first sun gear and a second actuator movable between first and second positions relative to said second clutch pack, said second actuator is operable in its first position to engage said second clutch pack for braking rotation of said first sun gear, and said second actuator is operable in its second position to disengage said second clutch pack for permitting rotation of said first sun gear;
a third clutch including a third clutch pack operably connected between said housing and said second sun gear and a third actuator movable between first and second positions, said third actuator is operable in its first position to engage said third clutch pack for braking rotation of said second sun gear, and said third actuator is operable in its second position to disengage said third clutch pack for permitting rotation of said second sun gear; and
a control system for moving each of said first, second and third actuators between its first and second positions to establish three drive connections between said input shaft and said output shaft, wherein a first drive connection is established when said first actuator is in its first position and each of said second and third actuators is in its second position, wherein a second drive connection is established when said second actuator is in its first position and each of said first and third actuators is in its second position, and wherein a third drive connection is established when said third actuator is in its first position and each of said first and second actuators is in its second position.
17. The transfer case of claim 16 wherein said first actuator includes a first piston slideably disposed in a first pressure chamber, said second actuator includes a second piston slideably disposed in a second pressure chamber, and said third actuator includes a third piston slideably disposed in a third pressure chamber, and wherein said control system is a hydraulic control system including:
a fluid source;
a pump;
a first control valve operable in a first mode to supply high pressure fluid from said pump to said first pressure chamber and further operable in a second mode to vent fluid from said first pressure chamber to said fluid source;
a second control valve operable in a first mode to supply high pressure fluid from said pump to said second pressure chamber and further operable in a second mode for venting fluid from said second pressure chamber to said fluid source;
a third control valve operable in a first mode to supply high pressure fluid from said pump to said third pressure chamber and further operable in a second mode to vent fluid from said third pressure chamber to said fluid source; and
a controller for controlling actuation of said control valves.
18. The transfer case of claim 16 wherein said ring gear meshes with said second pinion such that said first drive connection establishes a direct speed ratio with rotation of said input shaft causing said output shaft to be driven at a common speed, wherein said second drive connection establishes an underdrive speed ratio with rotation of said input shaft causing said output shaft to be driven at a reduced speed, and wherein said third drive connection establishes an overdrive speed ratio with rotation of said input shaft causing said output shaft to be driven at an increased speed.
19. The transfer case of claim 16 wherein said ring gear meshes with said first pinion such that said first drive connection establishes a direct speed ratio with rotation of said input shaft causing said output shaft to be driven at a common speed, wherein said second drive connection establishes an overdrive speed ratio with rotation of said input shaft causing said output shaft to be driven at an increased speed, and wherein said third drive connection establishes an underdrive speed ratio with rotation of said input shaft causing said output shaft to be driven at a reduced speed.
20. A transfer case comprising:
a housing supporting an input shaft and an output shaft;
a planetary gearset including a first sun gear, a second sun gear, a carrier coupled to said input shaft, a compound pinion gear supported on said carrier and having a first pinion meshed with said first sun gear and a second pinion meshed with said second sun gear, and a ring gear coupled to said output shaft and meshed with said second pinion;
a first clutch including a first clutch pack operably connected between said ring gear and said carrier and a first actuator movable between first and second positions relative to said clutch pack, said first actuator is operable in its first position to engage said first clutch pack for coupling said ring gear to said carrier, and said first actuator is operable in its second position to disengage said first clutch pack for permitting relative rotation between said ring gear and said carrier;
a second clutch including a second clutch pack operably connected between said housing and said first sun gear and a second actuator movable between first and second positions relative to said second clutch pack, said second actuator is operable in its first position to engage said second clutch pack for braking rotation of said first sun gear, and said second actuator is operable in its second position to disengage said second clutch pack for permitting rotation of said first sun gear;
a third clutch including a third clutch pack operably connected between said housing and said second sun gear and a third actuator movable between first and second positions, said third actuator is operable in its first position to engage said third clutch pack for braking rotation of said second sun gear, and said third actuator is operable in its second position to disengage said third clutch pack for permitting rotation of said second sun gear; and
a control system for moving each of said first, second and third actuators between its first and second positions to establish three drive connections between said input shaft and said output shaft, wherein a first drive connection is established when said first actuator is in its first position and each of said second and third actuators is in its second position, wherein a second drive connection is established when said second actuator is in its first position and each of said first and third actuators is in its second position, and wherein a third drive connection is established when said third actuator is in its first position and each of said first and second actuators is in its second position.
21. The transfer case of claim 20 wherein said first actuator includes a first piston slideably disposed in a first pressure chamber, said second actuator includes a second piston slideably disposed in a second pressure chamber, and said third actuator includes a third piston slideably disposed in a third pressure chamber, and wherein said control system is a hydraulic control system including:
a fluid source;
a pump;
a first control valve operable in a first mode to supply high pressure fluid from said pump to said first pressure chamber and further operable in a second mode to vent fluid from said first pressure chamber to said fluid source;
a second control valve operable in a first mode to supply high pressure fluid from said pump to said second pressure chamber and further operable in a second mode for venting fluid from said second pressure chamber to said fluid source;
a third control valve operable in a first mode to supply high pressure fluid from said pump to said third pressure chamber and further operable in a second mode to vent fluid from said third pressure chamber to said fluid source; and
a controller for controlling actuation of said control valves.
22. The transfer case of claim 20 wherein said first drive connection establishes a direct speed ratio with rotation of said input shaft causing said output shaft to be driven at a common speed, wherein said second drive connection establishes a first overdrive speed ratio with rotation of said input shaft causing said output shaft to be driven at an increased speed, and wherein said third drive connection establishes a second overdrive speed ratio with rotation of said input shaft causing said output shaft to be driven at an increased speed.

1. A currency counting and evaluation device for receiving a stack of currency bills, rapidly counting and evaluating all the bills in the stack, and then re-stacking the bills, said device comprising
a feed mechanism for receiving a stack of currency bills and feeding said bills in the direction of the narrow dimension of the bills, one at a time, to a feed station,
a bill transport mechanism for transporting bills, in the direction of the narrow dimension of the bills, from said feed station to a stacking station, at a rate in excess of about 800 bills per minute.
a stationary optical scanning head located between said feed and stacking stations for scanning a preselected segment of a central portion of each bill transported between said stations by said transport mechanism, said scanning head including at least one light source for illuminating a strip of said preselected segment of a bill, and at least one detector for received reflected light from the illuminated strip on the bill and producing an output signal representing variations in the intensity of the reflected light,
sampling said output signal preselected intervals as a bill is moved across said scanning head in the direction of the narrow dimension of the bill,
a memory for storing characteristic signal samples produced by scanning said preselected segments of bills of different denominations with said scanning head and sampling said output signal at said preselected intervals, and
signal processing means for receiving said signal samples and (1) determining the denomination of each scanned bill by comparing said stored signal samples with said output signal samples produced by the scanning of each bill with said scanning head, (2) counting the number of scanned bills of each denomination, and (3) accumulating the cumulative value of the scanned bills of each denomination.
2. The currency counting and evaluation device of claim 1 which includes an encoder coupled to said transport mechanism for monitoring the movement of each bill by producing a repetitive tracking signal synchronized with incremental movements of said transport mechanism, and means urging each bill into firm engagement with said transport mechanism and said scanning head to ensure a fixed relationship between the increments of movement of each bill and the corresponding increments of movement of said transport mechanism which is synchronized with said encoder.
3. The currency counting and evaluation device of claim 1 wherein said transport mechanism is driven at a controllable speed.
4. The currency counting and evaluation device of claim 1 wherein said detector in said scanning head is a single photodetector which produces an electrical output signal proportional to the intensity of the light reflected from the scanned bill.
5. The currency counting and evaluation device of claim 4 which includes means for sampling said output signal at increments synchronized with said repetitive tracking signal, and at the same increments used in said characteristic signals stored in said memory.
6. The currency counting and evaluation device of claim 1 wherein said strips are dimensioned so that at least 50 different strips can be scanned in the direction of the narrow dimension of each bill.
7. The currency counting and evaluation device of claim 1 which includes means for detecting a borderline around the image printed on each bill, and wherein said preselected segment is located inside said borderline, and the scanning of said preselected segment is initiated at a prescribed interval following the detection of said borderline.
8. The currency counting and evaluation device of claim 1 wherein said preselected segment of each bill is located in the central region of the bill.
9. The currency counting and evaluation device of claim 1 wherein said feeding and stacking stations are both located at the front of said device, and said transport mechanism carries bills rearwardly away from said feed station and then returns the bills forwardly to said stacking station.
10. The currency counting and evaluation device of claim 9 wherein said transport mechanism forms a linear path for said bills on the upstream side of said stacking station, and said scanning head is located along said linear path.
11. The currency counting and evaluation device of claim 1 wherein said preselected segment of each bill is scanned in less than one tenth of a second.
12. The currency counting and evaluation device of claim 1 wherein said light source illuminates said preselected segment of each bill from opposite sides of said detector.
13. The currency counting and evaluation device of claim 1 which includes means for controlling the movement of a selected bill between said scanning head and the stacking station for that bill in response to said determination of the denomination of that bill.
14. The currency counting and evaluation device of claim 13 wherein said controlling means stops the movement of said selected bill between said scanning head and the stacking station for that bill.
15. The currency counting and evaluation device of claim 13 wherein said controlling means decelerates said selected bill before stopping the movement of that bill.
16. The currency counting and evaluation device of claim 1 wherein the denomination of each bill is determined before the leading edge of that bill reaches the stacking station for that bill.
17. The currency counting and evaluation device of claim 1 wherein said stacking station is spaced from said scanning head by a distance that is less than the width of two of said bills.
18. The currency counting and evaluation device of claim 1 which includes signal processing means responsive to the output signals from said detector for determining the denomination of each scanned bill before that bill has been advanced to a stacking station, and
means responsive to said signal proceeding means for altering the movement of a scanned bill in response to the denomination detection for that bill, before that bill is advanced to a stacking station.
19. An improved method for discriminating between currency bills of different denominations, each currency bill having printed indicia enclosed within a borderline defined thereupon so that the bill surface outside the borderline is substantially blank, comprising the steps of:
illuminating a predetermined section of a currency bill by focusing at least one strip of coherent light thereupon;
detecting the light reflected off said illuminated section of said bill to generate an analog reflectance signal;
generating relative lateral displacement between said strip of coherent light and said currency bill so as to illuminate or optically scan successive sections of said bill along a predetermined dimension thereof and enclosed within said borderline;
obtaining a series of analog reflectance signals corresponding to light reflected from each of said successive bill sections using a first relatively narrow strip of coherent light to detect said borderline as the currency bill moves across said strip by detecting the difference in magnitude of the reflectance signal obtained from the bill surface outside said borderline and the reflectance signal obtained about said borderline itself, and using a second relatively wide strip of coherent light to obtain said reflectance signals representing said characteristic patterns after said borderline has been detected;
digitizing and processing said series of analog reflectance signals to yield a set of digital data samples which, in combination, represent a data pattern characteristic of the currency denomination of said bill;
generating and storing a set of master characteristic patterns corresponding to optical scanning of original bills of each of the different currency denominations to be discriminated; and
comparing the characteristic pattern or a scanned currency bill to each of said stored master patterns to determine the degree of correlation therebetween, and thereby to identify the denomination of said currency bill.
20. An improved method for discriminating between currency bills of different denominations comprising the steps of:
illuminating a predetermined section of a currency bill by focusing at least one strip of coherent light thereupon;
detecting the light reflected off said illuminated section of said bill to generate an analog reflectance signal;
generating relative lateral displacement between said strip of coherent light and said currency bill so as to illuminate or optically scan successive sections of said bill along a predetermined dimension thereof;
obtaining a series of analog reflectance signals corresponding to light reflected from each of said successive bill sections;
digitizing and processing said series of analog reflectance signals to yield a set of digital data samples which, in combination, represent a data pattern characteristic of the currency denomination of said bill;
generating and storing a set of master characteristic patterns corresponding to optical scanning of original bills of each of the different currency denominations to be discriminated;
comparing the characteristic pattern for a scanned currency bill to each of said stored master patterns to determine the degree of correlation therebetween, and thereby to identify the denomination of said currency bill; and
positively identifying said scanned bill as having the denomination corresponding to the stored master pattern which the degree of correlation is found to be the highest and at least equal to a predefined correlation threshold.
21. The improved currency discretion method according to claim 20 wherein any scanned bill which is not positively identified as having a particular currency denomination is identified as having an unidentifiable denomination.
22. Improved apparatus for discriminating and counting currency bills of different denominations comprising:
an input path for receiving currency bills to be discriminated and along which bills may be moved along a first direction;
an output path along which bills may be moved along a second direction;
a curved guideway disposed between said input and output paths and for accepting bills from said input path and guiding them along said second direction onto said output path; and
currency discrimination means located downstream of said curved guideway along sad output path where said bills are guided in a substantially straight manner.
23. The improved currency discrimination apparatus as set forth in claim 22 wherein said currency discrimination means includes:
means for illuminating a predetermined section of a currency bill by focusing at least one strip of coherent light thereupon;
means for detecting the light reflected off said illuminated section of said bill at selected time intervals as the bill is moved across said light strip in order to generate a series of analog reflectance signals;
means for digitizing and processing said reflectance signals to yield a set of digital samples which, in combination, represent a data pattern characteristic of the currency denomination of said bill;
means for generating and storing a set of master characteristic patterns corresponding to optical scanning of original bills of each of the currency denominations to be discriminated; and
means for comparing the characteristic pattern for a scanned currency bill to each of said stored master patterns to determine the degree of correlation therebetween, and thereby to identify the denomination of said currency bill.
24. The improved currency discrimination apparatus as set forth in claim 22 wherein currency bills having a wide dimension and a narrow dimension are moved along said input path, along said curved guideway, and along said output path with their narrow dimension maintained substantially parallel to the direction of movement.
25. The improved currency discrimination apparatus as set forth in claim 23 wherein said currency bills have printed indicia characterizing bill denomination, said indicia being enclosed by a borderline defined thereupon, the bill surface outside said borderline being substantially blank, and further wherein said currency discrimination means generates said characteristic patterns by obtaining said reflectance signals from the bill surface contained within said borderline.
26. The improved currency discrimination apparatus as set forth in claim 25 wherein said currency discrimination means includes means for focusing a first relatively narrow strip of coherent light onto said currency bills in order to detect said borderline as the currency bills move across said strip by detecting the difference in magnitude of the reflectance signal obtained from the bill surface outside said borderline and the reflectance signal obtained about said borderline itself.
27. The improved currency discrimination apparatus as set forth in claim 26 wherein said currency discrimination means includes means for focusing a second relatively wide strip of coherent light upon said currency bills for obtaining said reflectance signals representing said characteristic patterns after said borderline has been detected using said narrow strip of light.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

What is claimed is:

1. A gas turbine comprising a moving blade and a blade ring confronting a tip of said moving blade, wherein a cooling passage is provided in said blade ring and an auxiliary boiler and a steam supply source connecting to a steam turbine bottoming cycle are connected to said cooling passage, so that steam of said auxiliary boiler or said steam supply source is flown into said cooling passage for cooling said blade ring and the steam having cooled said blade ring is recovered, and thereby a clearance between said tip of the moving blade and said blade ring is reduced.
2. A gas turbine comprising a moving blade and a blade ring confronting a tip of said moving blade as well as comprising a combustor and a transition piece contained in said combustor, wherein a cooling passage is provided in said blade ring, so that steam of a steam supply source is flown into said cooling passage for cooling said blade ring and the steam having cooled said blade ring is flown into said transition piece via a combustor transition piece connection portion for cooling a wall interior of said transition piece and the steam having cooled said wall interior of the transition piece is recovered into said steam supply source, and thereby a clearance between said tip of the moving blade and said blade ring is reduced.
3. A gas turbine comprising a moving blade and a blade ring confronting a tip of said moving blade as well as comprising a combustor and a transition piece contained in said combustor, wherein a cooling passage is provided in said blade ring, so that steam of a steam supply source is flown in parallel into said cooling passage for cooling said blade ring and into said transition piece via a combustor transition piece connection portion for cooling a wall interior of said transition piece and the steam having cooled said blade ring and said wall interior of the transition piece is recovered into said steam supply source, and thereby a clearance between said tip of the moving blade and said blade ring is reduced.
4. A gas turbine comprising a first stage stationary blade and a first stage moving blade and a blade ring confronting a tip of said first stage moving blade as well as comprising a combustor and a transition piece contained in said combustor, wherein a blade ring cooling passage is provided in said blade ring and a stationary blade cooling passage is provided in said first stage stationary blade so as to connect to said blade ring cooling passage, so that steam of a steam supply source is flown into said blade ring cooling passage for cooling said blade ring and the steam having cooled said blade ring is flown into said stationary blade cooling passage for cooling said first stage stationary blade and the steam having cooled said first stage stationary blade is flown into said transition piece via a combustor transition piece connection portion for cooling a wall interior of said transition piece and the steam having cooled said wall interior of the transition piece is recovered into said steam supply source, and thereby a clearance between said tip of the first stage moving blade and said blade ring is reduced.
5. A gas turbine comprising a first stage stationary blade and a first stage moving blade and a blade ring confronting a tip of said first stage moving blade as well as comprising a combustor and a transition piece contained in said combustor, wherein a blade ring cooling passage is provided in said blade ring and a stationary blade cooling passage is provided in said first stage stationary blade so as to connect to said blade ring cooling passage, so that steam of a steam supply source is flown in parallel into said blade ring cooling passage for cooling said blade ring and into said stationary blade cooling passage for cooling said first stage stationary blade and the steam having cooled said first stage stationary blade is flown into said transition piece via a combustor transition piece connection portion for cooling a wall interior of said transition piece and the steam having cooled said blade ring and said wall interior of the transition piece is recovered into said steam supply source, and thereby a clearance between said tip of the first stage moving blade and said blade ring is reduced.
6. A gas turbine as claimed in claim 2, wherein said blade ring is a blade ring confronting a tip of a first stage moving blade, said combustor is a plurality of combustors arranged in a turbine circumferential direction, there are provided in said blade ring a plurality of blocks protruding in a turbine axial direction from positions of said blade ring corresponding to positions of said plurality of combustors and, in each of said plurality of blocks, there is provided a U-shape passage formed by turbine axial directional and circumferential directional passages, so that steam is flown into said U-shape passage from one end of said U-shape passage for cooling said blade ring and is flown out of the other end of said U-shape passage, and the steam having cooled said blade ring is supplied into said transition piece via said combustor transition piece connection portion.
7. A gas turbine as claimed in claim 2, wherein said blade ring comprises a first blade ring confronting a first stage moving blade and a second blade ring confronting a second stage moving blade, said cooling passage comprises a first cooling passage formed in said first blade ring and a second cooling passage formed in said second blade ring and there are provided a turbine axial directional passage for connecting said first and second cooling passages to each other and a transition piece side passage for connecting said first cooling passage and said combustor transition piece connection portion to each other, so that the steam of said steam supply source is flown sequentially in said second cooling passage, turbine axial directional passage, first cooling passage and transition piece side passage and is then supplied to said combustor transition piece connection portion.
8. A gas turbine as claimed in claim 7, wherein said combustor transition piece connection portion comprises a transition piece cooling inlet connecting to said first cooling passage, a transition piece cooling outlet through which the steam having cooled said transition piece flows out and an outlet pipe manifold connecting to said transition piece cooling outlet.
9. A gas turbine as claimed in claim 7, wherein each of said first and second blade rings is formed such that upper and lower two separated semicircular portions of the blade ring are joined together at flanges provided on both side surface portions of the blade ring, there are provided a recessed portion or a protruded portion on an outer circumferential surface portion of the blade ring so as to fit to or fit in a portion of a turbine casing inner wall and another protruded portion on an inner circumferential surface portion of the blade ring so as to support a wall surface confronting said tip of the moving blade and a turbine axial directional cross sectional shape of the blade ring is approximately symmetrical relative to a turbine radial directional central axis in said turbine axial directional cross sectional shape of the blade ring.
10. A gas turbine as claimed in claim 7, wherein each of said first and second blade rings is formed such that upper and lower two separated semicircular portions of the blade ring are joined together at flanges provided on both side surface portions of the blade ring and, in horizontal surface portions of said upper and lower semicircular portions of the blade ring so joined at said flanges, the cooling passage provided in said upper semicircular portion of the blade ring is extended so as to be inserted with a predetermined length into the cooling passage provided in said lower semicircular portion of the blade ring and a sealing material is interposed around the cooling passage so extended of said upper semicircular portion of the blade ring.
11. A gas turbine as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein said blade ring is formed such that upper and lower two separated semicircular portions of said blade ring are joined together at flanges provided on both side surface portions of said blade ring and there are provided members, having masses substantially equivalent to said flanges thermally, on upper and lower portions of an outer circumferential surface portion of said blade ring.
12. A gas turbine as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein said blade ring is provided with a plurality of steam inlets and steam outlets, respectively, arranged substantially evenly in vertical and horizontal directions on an outer circumferential surface portion of said blade ring.
13. A gas turbine as claimed in claim 7, wherein said blade ring is applied to on its surface exposed to a high temperature space with a thermal shield made of a heat insulation material.
14. A gas turbine as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein said blade ring is provided therein with a plurality of sensors for sensing said clearance at the tip of the moving blade, said sensors being inserted from outside of a turbine casing to pass through said turbine casing and said blade ring so that sensing portions of said sensors may be exposed on an inner circumferential wall surface confronting said tip of the moving blade, and there are provided a steam temperature controller arranged in a route for supplying said blade ring with steam from said steam supply source, a steam flow control valve arranged between said steam temperature controller and a steam inlet of said blade ring and a control unit taking signals from said sensors for comparison with a predetermined target value and controlling said steam temperature controller and an opening of said steam flow control valve so that said clearance may be approached to said target value.
15. A gas turbine as claimed in claim 14, wherein said sensors are FM electrostatic capacity type sensors.