GB2247097A - Bank note processing apparatus and method of counting bank notes - Google Patents

Abstract

An automatic teller machine includes a plurality of safes (50, 51, 52) for storing bank notes received through a bank note receiving and dispensing section, and an auxiliary safe (65) for temporarily storing bank notes, in a counting operation, bank notes stored in one of the safes are taken out thereof and transferred to the auxiliary safe through a first conveying passage while counting the bank notes by a first counting device (36). The bank notes transferred to the auxiliary safe are returned to the safe through a second conveying passage while being counted by a second counting device 66. Simultaneous with the returning operation, bank notes stored in another safe are transferred to the auxiliary safe through the first conveying passage while being counted by the first counting device. <IMAGE>

Description

8gBAtaK NOTE PROCESSING APr=1üS AND METHOD OF COUNTING BANK NOTES IN THE APPARATUS" The present invention relates to a bank note processing apparatus such as an automatic teller machine installed at the machine corner in banks for example, to automatically receive and dispense bank notes. It also relates to a method of counting bank note.

Recently, an automatic teller machine (ATM) of a recycle type which uses loaded bank notes as bank notes to be dispensed has been made into practical use. This type of automatic teller machine manages those bank notes loaded therein and those bank notes dispensed therefrom as an output through an addition and subtraction of those bank notes on the basis of the number of bank notes initially set therein. However, those bank notes to be handled by the machine are sometimes not place cr stacked in a better condition at all times during an input/output transaction of the bank notes and there is a possibility that a misfeed, such as a "double feed", will sometimes occur in the bank note dispense phase of operation at which time the machine handles it as being "uncountable" and cannot employ it as bank notes for dispensing.For this reason, the number of those bank notes to be dispensed as an output from a store in the machine is treated as being indefinite, a sate which cannot be managed by the machine involved during a dispense phase of the bank notes.

Bank note processing apparatuses such as the automatic teller machine are recently asked to enhance their cash or money control, and most of them therefore have the so-called "checkup function" which enables to count actual money stored in a storing portion of the machine.

Conventionally, the teller machine counts bank notes at a counting section located in the way of a bank note conveying passage while transferring the bank notes from a safe, in which bank notes are housed, to a loading safe. Thereafter, the transferred bank notes are returned from the loading safe to the safe. The above-mentioned counting operation is performed with respect to each safe, thereby obtaining counting results on all of the safes.

As apparent from the above, in the conventional teller apparatuses, during the counting operation, bank notes in each safe should be transferred two times between the safe and the loading safe, thus taking extremely long time.

Particularly these days most of the machines increase their capacity for housing bank notes therein so as to meet an attendant and long time operations, thereby causing their counting process to take a longer time. This makes the users strongly ask the counting process time to be shortened.

The present invention is therefore intended to meet the users' need, and the object of the present invention is to provide a bank note processing apparatus capable of reducing the time needed for the counting process to a greater extent, and also to provide a method of counting bank notes.

In order to achieve this object, an apparatus according to the present invention is designed to transfer bank notes from a safe to a loading safe while returning bank notes from the loading safe to a different safe during the counting process.

More specifically, a bank note processing apparatus of the present invention comprises first storing means for storing bank notes, second storing means for storing bank notes, third storing means for stacking bank notes in a predetermined direction, the third storing means including take-in means located at an end of the third storing means, for taking bank notes in the second storms weans, and take-out means located at an opposite end of the second storing means, for taking the bank notes out of the second storing means, first transfer means for transferring the bank notes from the first storing means to the take-in means of the third storing means, second transfer means for transferring bank notes taken out of the third storing means by the take-out means to the first storing means, third transfer means for transferring bank notes from the second storing means to the take-in means of the third storing means while the bank notes are being transferred from the third storing means to the first storing means by second transfer means, and means for counting the bank notes being transferred to the first storing means by the second transfer means.

Further, a counting method of the present invention comprises a first step of transferring a first type of bank notes stacked in a first storing section to a third storing section, a second step of returning the first type of bank notes from the third storing section to the first storing section and simultaneously transferring a second type of bank notes stacked in a second storing section to the third storing section while transferring the second type of bank notes, a third step of returning the second type of bank notes from the third storing section to the second storing section, and a step of counting a number of the first type of bank notes stored in the first storing section and a number of the second type of bank notes stored in the second storing section, while returning the first and second types of bank notes.

According to the counting method of the present invention, both of the operations of transferring bank notes from one of the first and second storing means to the third storing section and transferring bank notes in the third storing section to another storing means can be carried out at the same time while counting the bank notes. Therefore, the counting process relating to all of the storing means can be carried out for a shorter time period than in the case of the conventional systems. In addition, burden of the operator in charge can be reduced to a greater extent.

The present invention can be more fully understood from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: Figs. 1 through 11 show an automatic teller machine according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the outline of the machine; Fig. 2 is a view schematically showing the structure of the machine; Fig. 3 is a sectional view showing a teller unit; Fig. 4 is a sectional view showing an auxiliary safe enlarged; Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken along line v-v in Fig. 4; Figs. 6A through 6J are sectional views showing the operations of the auxiliary safe; Figs. 7A and 7B are views schematically showing the flow of bank notes at the time of loading bank notes; Fig. 8 is a view schematically showing the flow of bank notes at the time of dispensing;; Fig. 9 is a view schematically showing the flow of bank notes at the time when any of bank note forgotten or wrongly left is collected; Fig. 10 is a view showing the flow of bank notes at the time when they are transferred from one of safes to an auxiliary safe; and Fig. 11 is a view showing the flow of bank notes at the time when they are returned from the auxiliary safe to the safe and bank notes are transferred from another one of the safes to the auxiliary safe.

An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Figs. 1 and 2 show an automatic teller machine 1 which is embodied as a bank note processing apparatus according to the present invention and which is arranged as described below.

The machine 1 includes a casing 2, which has an L-shaped operating section 3 at the front thereof. The horizontal portion of this operation section 3 is provided with an opening 4 through which bank notes P to be received or transferred can be inserted as a unit into the machine and from which bank notes P to be dispensed can be picked up as a unit. A slide door 5 for opening and closing the opening 4 is provided at the opening 4.

The horizontal portion of the operation section 3 is also provided with a color CRT display 6 in which touch sensors (not shown) are housed. The CRT display 6 displays operating conditions of the machine and other information on it by illustrations, letters or sentences for guiding the user. When the user touches display potions on the display 6, corresponding to his identification number, the amount of money, and his account number, to acknowledge and confirm his dealing and to cancel the information he has inputted, according to the guidance displayed by the display 6, the touch sensors housed in the display 6 detect his finger touched. The display 6 thus applies the inputted signals to a main control section 11, thereby performing the same operation as the so-called key operation.

Specifically, the display 6 displays a sentence "Please input your own name", for example, while displaying katakana keys for inputting own name, numeral keys for inputting the amount of money to be transferred and inputting account number, and keys for inputting whether the corporation to which the money is to be transferred. The matters displayed by the display 6 are changed every time the operating steps or modes of the machine change.

On the vertical portion of the operation section 3 are provided a slit 7 for receiving a magnetic card (A) as an information medium on which the identification number and account information are recorded, another slit 8 for receiving a passbook (B), a coin inlet 9 for receiving coins (C), and a coin outlet 10 for dispensing a change of the coins (C) inserted.

As shown in Fig. 2, in the casing 2 are arranged a main control section 11 for controlling the operation of the machine, a magnetic card reading section 12 for reading the account information such as the identification and account numbers from a magnetic stripe on the card (A) inserted into the machine 1 through the card inserting slit 7, and a passbook printing section 13 for reading information from a magnetic stripe on the passbook (B) inserted through the passbook inserting slit 8 and printing dealing matters on both of the passbook (B) and a journal sheet (not shown).

In the casing 2 are further arranged a unit 14 for receiving bank notes (P) inserted through the opening 4 and dispensing through the opening 4 bank notes (P) whose amount is equal to the one requested, a unit 15 for receiving coins (C) inserted through the inlet 9 and dispensing through the inlet 9 coins (C) of requested amount, a user unit 16 ir.cludirwg the CRT display 6, a voice guide unit 17 for guiding the user by voice sounded through a speaker (not shown), and a section 18 operated by a person in charge and provided with an internal monitor for the person in charge.

In the casing 2 are arranged a floppy disk 19 serving as a data file, on which information relating to financial agencies and needed to conduct transfer dealings, such as names of banks and their branches are recorded in the order of the kana syllabary, a control section 20 for controlling data transmission between the main control section 11 and a host or center computer (not shown), a memory 23 for storing the number of sheets of bank note in the machine 1, and a power supply section 21.

A remote monitor 22 located outside the casing 2 and intended for the person in charge is connected to the main control section 11.

The machine 1 is requested through the operation section 18 and the remote monitor 22 for the person in charge to carry out local processes such as detection of bank notes left in safes, exchange of safes and addition of journal sheets (or processes for detecting the operational condition of the machine).

The structure of the teller unit or bank note receiving and dispensing unit 14 will be described in detail with reference to Fig. 3.

Ibe teller unit 14 is generally comprised of upper and lower units 30 and 31.

The upper unit 30 will be described at first.

The opening 4 for receiving and dispensing bank notes (P) is formed at the upper portion of the horizontal area of the casing 2, that is, the face of the upper unit 30 facing user. A chamber 32 for housing the bank notes (P) as a bundle is defined below the bank note receiving and dispensing opening 4. At the lower front portion of the chamber 32 is provided a pickup device 34 for successively picking up the bank notes (P) in the chamber 32 one by one, by means of a pickup roller 33.

A wall defining part of the chamber 32 serves as a backup member 35 movable toward and away from a wall opposing the member 35. The volume of the chamber 32 is thus made variable. When bank notes are taken into the chamber 32, the backup member 35 pushes the bank notes against the pickup roller 33.

At the lower portion of the upper unit 30 is provided a first bank note counting device 36 which serves as first counting means for counting the bank notes (P) while confirming their types, whether or not they are false ones, whether or not they are piled one upon the other while being conveyed, whether or not they are normal, whether or not they direct their front faces upward, and whether or not they are damaged. A control section 37 for controlling the operation of the unit 14 is located behind the first counting device 36 or in the center of the upper unit 30 when viewed along the sight line of the user who stands at the front side of the machine 1. Above the control section 37 is arranged a storage device 39 for temporarily storing the receivedbank notes (P) at a stacking section 38 with their front faces directed the same direction.

Between the temporarily storage device 39 and the bank note storing chamber 32 is arranged a storage device 41 for temporarily storing bank notes (P), which must be dispensed to the user or customer, in a section 40 and then feeding them into the bank notes storing chamber 32 at the time of money paid.

Next, the structure of the lower half 31 of the unit 14 will be described.

First, second and third safes 50, 51 and 52 are located in the central portion of the lower half 31 and arranged in this order from the front side (the left side in Fig. 3) of the machine 1 to the rear side thereof.

The first and second ones of them are intended for storing 10,000 yen bank notes and the third one for storing 1,000 yen bank notes.

Each of the safes 50 to 52 is provided with bank note take-in and -out mechanisms 53 and 54 at the upper end portion thereof and serves as a recycle type safe which uses received bank notes as bank notes to be dispense to user. At the upper end of each safe is provider a sensor 59 including light emitting and receiving elements, for detecting the absence of bank notes in the safe.

On the front side in the lower unit 31 are arranged a main motor 55 which serves as a drive source, and a drive force transmitting system 55 for transmitting the drive force of the main motor 55 to driven components such as conveying belts and rollers. Three storage-type safes 60, 61 and 62 are stacked vertically on the bottom of the lower unit 31 on the rear side thereof. These safes 60 to 62 are formed as a safe cassette 63 and they can be therefore pulled out of the casing 2 as a unit.

The top safe 60 is adapted to store 5,000 yen bank notes inserted and damaged ones, the intermediate safe 61 to store bank notes forgotten by the user, and the bottom safe 62 to store bank notes which are rejected or removed at the time of dispensing or receiving bank notes.

An auxiliary safe (loading/transferring safe) 65 is located above the safe cassette 63, extending from the upper unit 32 into the lower unit 31. As will be described later, the auxiliary safe 65 is designed to allow bank notes (P) to be stored in and taken out of it at the same time. Thus, the safe 65 is used as a loading safe for replenishing bank notes to the safes 50 to 52 and as a transferring safe for temporarily receiving the bank notes (P) in the safes 50 to 51 at the time of the bank note counting process.

In the lower unit 31 and adjacent to the auxiliary safe 65 is arranged a second bank note counting device 66 which serves as second counting means for counting band notes (P) while confirming their types, whether or not they are false, whether or not they are piled one upon the others while being conveyed, whether or not they are normal, whether or not they direct their front faces upward, and whether or not they are properness or improperness (damaged or not).

In the upper and lower units 30 and 31 are arranged a plurality of belts and rollers which define plural bank notes conveying passages R1 to R19, plural gates 70 for selecting the conveying direction of bank notes (P), and plural optical bank notes detectors for detecting the passage of bank notes (P) and the number of them left in the passages. The operations of the conveyer belts, rollers and gates 70 are controlled by the control section 37.

The arrangement and operation of the auxiliary safe (loading/transferring safe) 65 will be described in more detail, referring to Figs. 4 to 7.

First, its fundamental arrangement will be described with reference to Figs. 4 and 5.

The auxiliary safe 65 includes a safe cassette body 80, which has an outer casing 82 provided with a lid 81, and an inner casing 84 defining a vertical bank notes storing chamber 83. A bank note take-in opening 85 is formed at an upper end of a wall of the casing 82, and a bank note take-out opening 86 is formed at the lower end of the wall thereof.

A take-in roller 87 is arranged adjacent to the take-in opening 85 so as to take the bank notes, which have been fed through the conveying passage R18, into the bank notes storing chamber 83 one by one while holding each of them horizontal.

A take-out mechanism 91 including a feed roller 88, a take-out roller 89 and a separating roller 90 is arranged adjacent to the bank notes take-out opening 86.

This mechanism 91 is intended to successively take the lowest one of the bank notes (P), which are stacked in a hopper section 83a at the lower portion of the chamber 83, out of the chamber 83 one by one while holding it horizontal.

Near the take-out opening 86 is arranged a sensor 92 including light emitting and receiving elements, for detecting the absense of bank notes in the storing chamber 83.

A pusher 95, movable up and down, is arranged in the upper portion in the chamber 83, and a pair of separators 96, a pair of shutters 97 and a pair of lifters 98 are arranged in the casing 82 and extend into the bank notes storing chamber 83.

These separators 96, shutters 97 and lifters 98 extend in the horizontal direction and are attached to a pair of guide shafts 99 which are located between the inner and the outer casing 82 and 83 and extend substantially in the vertical direction along the chamber 83.

The separators 96, shutters 97 and lifters 98 are movable up and down along the guide shafts 99 and also swingable round them between a support position where they extend into the chamber 83 as shown by a solid line in Fig. 5 and a retreat position where they are retreated from the chamber 83 as shown by a two-dot and dash line in Fig. 5.

Further, first plural stoppers 100 are located a little above the intermediate portion of the bank notes storing chamber 83, and second plural stoppers 101 are located under the first stoppers 100, opposing to them.

Each of the stoppers 100 and 101 is swingable between a restricting position where it extends into the chamber 83 and a retreat position where it is retreated from the chamber 83. In addition, a backup member 102 is located at the lower portion of the chamber 83 and movable to a position retreated from the chamber. Further, at the upper portion in the cassette body 80 is formed a storing section 103 for storing rejected bank notes.

Referring to Figs. 6A through 6J, it will be described how bank notes (P) are loaded in and taken out of the auxiliary safe 65.

As shown in Fig. 6A, each of the bank notes (P) fed to tne auxiliary safe 65 is taken into the upper portion in the chamber 83 through the take-in opening 85 by the take-in roller 87 and stacked vertically on the separators 96.

The separators 96 is gradually lowered responsive to the number of the bank notes (P) stacked thereon, and when about 200 sheets of the bank notes (soft count) are stacked on the separators 96, they are lowered near to the first stoppers 100, as shown in Fig. 6B.

The feeding of the bank notes (P) is temporarily stopped under this state, and the separators 96 are moved to a position between the first and second stoppers 100 and 101, as shown in Fig. 6C. The bank notes (P) stacked on the separators 96 are thus transferred onto the first stoppers 100 which are at the restricting position. Both of the separators 96 and the shutters 97 are then rotated round their guide shafts 99 at the same time and moved to their retreat positions (shown by the two-dot and dash lines in Fig. 5) where they are retreated from the chamber 83, as shown in Fig. 6D.

Thereafter, as shown in Fig. 6E, the pusher 95 is moved downward to push the bank notes (P) onto the lifters 98 located under the second stoppers 101. At this time, the first and second stoppers 100 and 101 are pushed by the bundle of the bank notes (P) and temporarily retreated to their retreat position where they are kept vertical and then again returned to their horizontal position by the action of spring members (not shown). Those portions of the pusher 95 which oppose to the first and second stoppers 100 and 101 are cut away so as not to interfere with the stoppers.

As shown in Fig. 6F, the pusher 95 is then lifted to the upper portion in the chamber 83 and returned to its original waiting position. The separators 96 and the shutters 97 are returned to their support position where they extend into the chamber 83. The separators are then moved to their original position at the upper portion in the chamber 83, as shown by a two-dot and dash line in Fig. 6F.

The loading of the bank notes (P) into the chamber 83 is thus completed.

By repeating the above-mentioned loading processes shown in Figs. 6A to 6F, about 1800 sheets of bank notes (about 250mm) can be stacked on the lifters 98.

If bank notes (P) to be paid are present in the hopper section 83a at the lower portion of the chamber 83, as shown by a two-dot and dash line in Fig. 6G, the bank notes (P) in the hopper section 83a can be taken out of the chamber 83 while performing the above mentioned loading processes. Further, when the number of the bank notes (P) left in the hopper section 83a lowers to about 200 sheets (or when the height of the bundle of the bank notes (P) remaining in the hopper section 83a becomes smaller than a predetermined value), the backup member 102 is automatically moved from its retreat position (shown by a solid line) to its pressing position (shown by a two-dot and dash line) to press the bank notes in the hopper section 83a against the feeding roller 88.

When no bank note is present in the hopper section 83a, the backup member 102 is returned to its retreat position, as shown in Fig. 6H, and the lifters 98 are lowered to the lower end in the chamber 83, as shown in Fig. 61. The bank notes (P) stacked on the lifters 98 are then transferred onto the feeding roller 88 and the take-out roller 89 of the take-out mechanism 91 which are located in the hopper section 83a.

Thereafter, the lifters 98 are rotated round the guide shafts 99 to temporarily move to their waiting position where they are retreated from the chamber 83.

They are then lifted to their original position and returned to their support position where they extend into the chamber 83, as shown in Fig. 6J.

The loading and take-out operations of the bank notes (P) can be simultaneously performed in the manner mentioned above.

Various kinds of processes conducted by the automatic teller machine will now be described.

Figs. 7A and 7B show the flow of bank notes at the time of receiving the bank notes.

First, as shown in Fig. 7A, when bank notes (P) are inserted into the bank notes storing chamber 32 through the receiving and dispensing opening 4, they are conveyed one by one through the bank notes conveying passages R1 to R4, as shown by solid line arrows, and introduced to the temporarily storing device 39. At this time, the bank notes (P) inserted are selectively fed to the conveying passage R5 or R6 at the temporarily storing device 39 and temporarily stacked in the section 38 with their front faces directed in the same direction.

During the receiving process, reject bank note, which could not be read by the first bank note counting device 36 located along the conveying passage 2, are introduced to the temporarily storing section 40 through the bank notes conveying passage R6, as shown by a broken line in Fig. 7A and stacked therein. Then, the rejected bank notes are returned as a bundle to the bank note storing chamber 32 through the conveying passage R7. At the same time, the door 5 of the chamber 32 is opened and the display 6 indicates the user or customer with an information that "Please again insert the rejected bank notes into the chamber 32." When all of the bank notes (P) inserted are normally read by the counting device 36, the amount of money inserted is displayed at the CRT display 6.

When the customer confirms that the amount of money displayed is right, he pushes the "confirmation" button on the OPT display 6 in which the touch sensors are housed. The bank notes (P) in the temporarily storing section 38 are thus picked up one by one and conveyed through the bank notes conveying passages R8, R1, R2 and R9, as shown by a solid line arrows in Fig. 7B.

10,000 yen and 1,000 yen bank notes are introduced to the bank notes conveying passage 10 and housed either in the first safe 50 (for 10,000 yen bank notes) or in the second safe 51 (for 10,000 yen bank notes) and in the third safe 52 (for 1,000 yen bank notes), respectively. 5,000 yen bank notes and damaged and reject ones are introduced to the bank notes conveying passage R11. 5,000 yen bank notes and damaged ones are housed in the top safe 60 (for 5,000 yen and damaged bank notes) through the conveying passage R12, as shown by broken line arrows in Fig. 7B. Further, the rejected bank notes are housed in the bottom safe 62 (for reject bank notes) through the conveying passage R14, as shown by a two-dot and dash line.

Fig. 8 shows the flow of bank notes at the time of dispensing the bank notes.

Bank notes whose sum is equal to the amount of money required by the customer are taken out of either the first or second safe 50 or 51 and the third safe 52 and conveyed one by one through the bank notes conveying passages R10, R15, R2, R3, R4 and R6. They are introduced to the device 41 and temporarily stored in the storing section 40. Thereafter, the bank notes returned as a bundle to the bank notes storing chamber 32 through the conveying passage R7. At the same time, the door 5 is opened to allow the customer to pick up the bank notes from the chamber 32.

In the dispensing operation, if reject bank notes which can not read by the first counting device 36 are generated, they are transferred to and stored in the bottom safe 62 (for reject bank notes) of the safe cassette 63, as shown by a two-dot and dash line in Fig. 8.

In the receiving and dispensing operations, the number of bank notes counted by the first counting device 36 is applied to the control section 11. Thus, the control section 11 calculates the number of bank notes remaining in the safes 50, 51, and 52, respectively, and stores the calculated result in the memory 23.

In a case where some bank notes are still left in the bank notes storing chamber 32 after the lapse of a certain time period at the time of the receiving and dispensing operations, it is regarded as "their being forgotten". In this case, the bank notes in the chamber 32 are taken in one by one by the roller 33 and conveyed to the intermediate safe 61 (for forgotten bank notes) of the safe cassette 63 through the bank notes conveying passage P, R2, R9, R11 and R13 and collected therein, as shown by a broken line in Fig. 8.

Fig. 9 shows the flow of notes at the time when bank notes left in the safes 50, 51 and 52 are decreased in number and new bank notes are replenished to these safes.

Specifically, bank notes (P) in the auxiliary safe 65 are taken out of the safe 65 one by one through the take-out opening at the lower end of the safe 65 by the take-out mechanism 91 and fed to the bank notes conveying passage R16. The bank notes (P) are checked about their types and the like by the second bank note counting device 66 located along the bank note conveying passage R16, and successively supplied to the first safe 50 (for 10,000 yen bank notes), the second safe 51 (for 10,000 yen bank notes) and the third safe 52 (for 1,000 yen bank notes) through the conveying passages R17, R9 and R10. Reject bank notes found this time are transferred to the bank note storing section 103 above the auxiliary safe 65 through the conveying a passage R18, as shown by a broken line in Fig. 9. The count data is supplied to the control section 11 and stored in the memory 23.

The above describes the normal dealing process of the machine. Then, there will be described the socalled "checkup process" conducted by the machine 1, wherein the bank note receiving and dispensing data stored in the memory 23 is compared with the actual money housed in the safes 50, 51, and 52.

Fig. 10 shows the flow of bank notes at the time of the checkup process conducted by the teller machine 1.

First, it is detected by the sensor 92 that bank notes for replenishment are loaded or unloaded in the auxiliary safe 65. If no bank note is loaded in the safe 65, the bank notes (P) are taken out of the third safe 52 by the take-out system 54 and transferred into the auxiliary safe (or loading safe) 65 through the take-in opening at the upper portion of the safe 65 via a feeding passage R20 which comprises the bank notes conveying passages R10, R15, R2, R3 and R19, as shown by a solid line in Fig. 10. Upon transferring, the bank notes (P) are counted by the first counting device 36, and the counted result is applied to the control section 11. Bank notes rejected in this process are conveyed to the storing section 130 through the convey passage R18.

After all bank notes (P) in the third safe 50 are transferred to the auxiliary safe 65, they are taken out of the auxiliary safe 65 through the outlet opening 86 by the take-out mechanism 91 and returned to the third safe 52 through a feeding passage R21 which comprises the bank note conveying passages R16, R17 and R10, as shown by a broken line arrow in Fig. 11. During the returning operation, the bank notes (P) are counted or calculated by the second bank note counting device 66 arranged along the passage R16, and bank notes rejected in this operation are conveyed to the bottom safe 62 of the safe cassette 63 through the convey passages R10 and Rill.

As shown in Fig. 11, while the bank notes (P) are being transferred from the auxiliary safe 65 to the third safe 52, the bank notes in the second safe 51 are taken out therefrom and transferred to the auxiliary safe 65 through the feeding conveyer passage R20, in the same manner as in the case where the bank notes in the third safe 52 are taken out therefrom and fed to the auxiliary safe 65. In the way of the convey passage R20, the bank notes thus taken out are counted by the first counting device 36. The count results by means of the first and second counting devices 36 and 66 are applied to the control section 11.

As described above, the transfer of the bank notes from the safe to the auxiliary safe and the counting of the bank notes by the first counting device 36 can be carried out at the same time as the transfer of the bank notes from the auxiliary safe to the another safe and the counting of the bank notes by the second counting device 66.

The above-described transfer and counting operations of bank notes are also carried out between the first safe 50 and the auxiliary safe 65.

Specifically, the checkup process is carried out in the following order by the automatic teller machine 1.

Step 1 --- Bank notes (which will be hereinafter referred to as P52) in the third safe 52 are transferred to the auxiliary safe 65.

Step 2 --- Bank notes (which will be hereinafter referred to as P51) in the second safe 51 are transferred to the auxiliary safe 65 while returning the bank notes P52 in the auxiliary safe 65 to the third safe 52.

Step 3 --- Bank notes (which will be hereinafter referred to as P50) in the first safe 50 are transferred to the auxiliary safe 65 while returning the bank notes P51 in the auxiliary safe 65 to the second safe 51.

Step 4 --- The bank notes P50 in the auxiliary safe 65 are returned to the first safe 50.

The bank notes are counted by the first and second calculating devices 36 and 66 on the way of the transfer between each safe and the auxiliary safe 65.

If no rejection of the bank notes is generated at the first counting device 36, accurate number of the bank notes in each of the safes 50 to 51 can be confirmed. Thus, date in the memory 23 is renewed in accordance with the count result of the first counting device 36. Further, even if rejection of the bank notes is generated at the second counting device 66, the number of the rejected bank notes can be calculated by the difference between the count results of the first and second counting devices 36 and 66. Thus, the number of the bank notes, which have been returned to each of the first to third safes 50, 51, and 52, can be easily confirmed and stored in the memory 23.

If it is required to confirm the number of bank notes in the teller machine, the number of the rejected bank notes in the storing sections 62 and 103 are counted by the operator, and the count result together with the count result form the first and second counting devices 36 and 66 are input to the control section 11 through the internal monitor and calculated thereby.

The date in the memory 23 is thus renewed by the calculated result.

In the case of the automatic teller machine according to the present embodiment, the checkup or counting process of the bank notes is completed by above-mentioned four steps.

On the contrary, the checkup or counting process in the conventional machines needs six steps, providing that the number of the safes is same in the above embodiment.

Specifically, the conventional machines require the following steps.

Step 1 --- Bank notes P52 in a third safe 52 are transferred to an auxiliary safe 65 while being counted by a counting device.

Step 2 --- The bank notes P52 in the auxiliary safe 65 are returned to the third safe 52.

Step 3 --- Bank notes P51 in a second safe 51 are transferred to the auxiliary safe 65 while being counted.

Step 4 --- The bank notes P51 in the safe 65 are returned to the second safe 51.

Step 5 --- Bank notes P50 in a first safe 50 are transferred to the safe 65 while being counted.

Step 6 --- The bank notes P50 are returned to the first safe 50.

As described above, the checkup process in the conventional machines needed 6 steps but it needs only 4 steps according to the automatic teller machine of the present embodiment. This enables the time needed for the checkup process to be reduced by a greater extent.

Further, bank notes in each of the first to third safes are counted two times by the first and second counting devices 36 and 66 when they are transferred between the safe and the auxiliary safe. This enables the accuracy of the checkup process to be enhanced.

In the above embodiment, the description has been related to the checkup process in the case where no bank note for replenishment is loaded in the auxiliary safe 65. However, the same checkup process can be conducted even in a case where bank notes for replenishment are present in the auxiliary safe 65.

In this case, bank notes previously stored in the auxiliary safe 65 for replenishment are transferred from the safe 65 to each of the safes instead of the bank notes transferred from the safe into the auxiliary safe 65. During the transfer between each safe and the auxiliary safe 65, even if some of the bank notes are rejected, the number of the rejected bank notes can be confirmed and the bank notes, for replenishment, in the auxiliary safe can be supplied to each of the safes.

According to the automatic teller machine having such arrangement as described above in detail, the transfer of bank notes in a safe to the auxiliary safe can be carried out while transferring bank notes in the auxiliary safe to the safe. At the same time, they can be counted two times by the counting devices on the way of their being transferred. Thus, the checkup or counting process on all of the safes can be achieved in a shorter time period than that in the case of the conventional machines. In addition, the accuracy of counting can be improved and burden of the person in charge can be reduced.

It should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment and that various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

For example, the number of the safes is not limited to three but it may be increased or decreased if necessary. Further, the type of bank notes housed the safes can be changed if necessary.

Claims (14)

Clams:

1. A bank note processing apparatus for dispensing bank notes comprising: first storing means for storing bank notes; second storing means for storing bank notes; third storing means for stacking bank notes in a predetermined direction, said third storing means including take-in means located at an end of the third storing means, for taking bank notes in the second storing means, and take-out means located at an opposite end of the second storing means, for taking the bank notes out of the second storing means; first transfer means for transferring the bank notes from the first storing means to the take-in means of the third storing means; second transfer means for transferring bank notes taken out of the third storing means by the take-out means to the first storing means;; third transfer means for transferring bank notes from the second storing means to the take-in means of the third storing means while the bank notes are being transferred from the third storing means to the first storing means by the second transfer means; and means for counting the bank notes being transferred to the first storing means by the second transfer means.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, which further comprises means for causing the second transfer means to transfer the bank notes from the third storing means to the first storing means while causing the third transfer means to transfer the bank notes from the second storing means to the third storing means, after the first type of bank notes are transferred from the first storing portion to the second storing means by the first transfer means.

3. An apparatus according to claim 2, which further comprises: a fourth storing means for storing bank notes, and fourth transfer means for transferring the bank notes from the fourth storing means to the third storing means while the bank notes are being transferred from the third storing means to the second storing means.

4. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said first transfer means includes a first conveying passage extending from the first storing means to the take-in means of the third storing means, first take-out mechanism for taking the bank notes out of the first storing means onto the first conveying passage, and second takeout mechanism for taking the bank notes out of the second storing means onto the first conveying passage.

5. An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said second transfer means includes a second conveying passage extending from the take-out means of the third storing means to the first storing means through the counting means, first take-in mechanism for taking the bank notes from the second conveying passage into the first storing means, and second take-in mechanism for taking the bank notes from the second conveying passage into the second storing means.

6. An apparatus according to claim 1, which further comprises a bank note receiving section, fifth transfer means for transferring bank notes, inserted into the bank note receiving section, to the first storing means.

7. An apparatus according to claim 6, which further comprises a bank note dispensing section, sixth transfer means for transferring bank notes from the first storing means to the bank note dispensing section, and second counting means for counting the bank notes being transferred by the fifth and sixth transfer means.

8. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said second storing means includes a bank note housing portion formed between the take-in means and the take-out means, first support means arranged in the bank note housing portion, for temporarily supporting bank notes taken in the housing portion by the take-in means, and second support means arranged to be movable in the housing portion, for receiving the bank notes from the first support means and introducing the bank notes to the take-out means.

9. A method of counting bank notes stored in a bank note processing apparatus comprising: a first step of transferring a first type of bank notes stacked in a first storing section to a third storing section; a second step of returning the first type of bank notes from the third storing section to the first storing section and simultaneously transferring a second type of bank notes stacked in a second storing section to the third storing section while transferring the second type of bank notes; a third step of returning the second type of bank notes from the third storing section to the second storing section; and a step of counting a number of the first type of bank notes stored in the first storing section and a number of the second type of bank notes stored in the second storing section, while returning the first and second types of bank notes.

10. A method according to claim 9, wherein said second step includes counting the first type of bank notes while returning the bank notes to the first storing section.

11. A method according to claim 10, wherein said third step includes counting the second type of bank notes while returning the bank notes to the second storing section.

12. A method according to claim 11, which further comprises a step of comparing the number of bank notes counted with data previously stored.

13. A bank note processing apparatus, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

14. A method of counting bank notes, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.