APPARATUS FOR DISPENSING MONEY ORDERS

摘要

A two-part money order dispenser (26, 28) for printing alphanumeric indicia on preprinted money order forms (24) includes a terminal (12) having a keyboard (12) for operating the dispenser (26, 28) and a card swipe device (56) for reading information from a magnetic card packaged with a bundle of blank preprinted money order forms (24) for automatic entry of the forms-related information into a memory associated with the terminal (12) when loading the forms into the dispenser. A printer (20) having a memory association therewith is connected to the terminal (12) for communicating with the terminal information allowing access to the printer through an encrypted password and communication of information necessary for printing money orders. Bit-mapped graphical and alphanumeric information routinely printed is stored with the printer (20). Multilevel security codes having definable privileges associated therewith, a program generated security font, and a blank form (24) retraction feature provide security against altered or counterfeit money orders. The configuration of the two-part dispenser (26, 28) further allows efficient utilization of limited or crowded counter space (152). The printer of the dispenser has an L-shaped configuration to facilitate its mounting at any convenient location.