MXPA00005212A - Currency recycling automated banking machine - Google Patents

Abstract

An automated banking machine (10) identifies and stores documents such as currency bills deposited by a user. The machine then selectively recovers such documents from storage and dispenses them to other users. The machine includes a central transport (70) wherein documents deposited in a stack are unstacked, oriented and identified. Such documents are then routed to storage areas in recycling canisters (92, 94, 96, 98). When a user subsequently requests a dispense, documents stored in the storage areas are selectively picked therefrom and delivered to the user through an input/output area (50) of the machine.

Description

MACHINE DB ATM BANK AUTOMATIC RECYCLING DB MONEY TECHNICAL FIELD This invention relates to automated banking machines. Specifically, this invention relates to an automated banking machine that allows bills, notes or other documents deposited by a customer, to be identified and stored on the same machine, and subsequently subsequently selectively supplied to another customer.

ANTECEDENTS OF ART They are known in the prior art, automated banking machines. The automated banking machines used to carry out securities transactions. A popular type of automated banking machine is an automatic teller machine (ATM). Other types of automated banking machines are used to count and provide cash. These machines are often used by customer service representatives, ATMs in banking environments and other transactions. Other types of automated banking machines are used to make or receive payments, to supply or receive tickets, traveler's checks, writings, money or other documents or valuable items or to verify electronically or to make transfers of funds.

ATM machines commonly use, accept deposits from customers and process deposit using devices which are separate from the devices, which carry the money and other items to the customers. Depositors of ATM machines require customers to place their deposits in an envelope. It is accepted on the machine for storage. When the customer indicates the value of the envelope's containers the customer's account is not often credited to the amount of the deposit until the envelope is removed from the ATM machine by the bathroom staff and the contents are verified.

Other ATM machines have the ability to receive checks and other negotiable instruments. Such machines may include a device such as semuestr in U.S. Patent No. 5,422,467. Provisions of this type may be used to cancel producing electronic images of the checks which are deposited in an ATM machine. Canceled checks are stored in the machine for later removal for later removal by bank personnel Note notes, traveler's checks and other documents and sheet materials that are commonly stocked by the ATM machine are usually housed in the machine in removable containers. The sheets are stocked from the containers and delivered by the machine to the customers. Periodically, these containers must be moved from the machine and the supply of sheets must be replenished. This is a labor of intensive activity. To replace the containers, the safe part of the ATM machine must be opened. The containers in the machine can be removed and new containers, which include a new supply of sheets, are placed in the machine. Alternatively the containers in the machine can be opened, can be added to the money or other sheets and then replaced. After the containers are placed again the safe part of the machine must be closed.

Replacing or resupplying containers often requires transporting the filled containers to the machine and returning the partially depleted containers to a remote location. Even when efforts have been made to design the containers to minimize opportunities for looting, there is always some risk. Therefore, such activities are normally carried out by armed mail. More than one person is often assigned to any task and where there is access to cash or other machine values. Because many individuals may be involved in loading the replacement boats, transporting the replacement containers to the ATM, the replacement of the containers and the return of the removed containers and audit of the contents of the returned containers and often difficult to identify with respect to the cause and any losses.

The need to periodically replace the containers with cash is an inconvenience because the ATM machine must be turned off. Clients are not able to use the ATM machine while the cash supply is being replenished, and missed opportunities to carry out transactions and customer dissatisfaction may result. Customers will be disappointed if the spare, supply operations are not carried out frequently enough and the machine itself runs out of money or other documents.

Other types of automated banking machines, such as those that supply cash to customer service representatives, have the same disadvantages as ATM machines. The periodic re-supply of cash or other valuable documents that are supplied by the machine must be done to keep the machine in operation. Even when such machines accelerate the cash-to-customer assortment service, there is a significant cost associated with the segregation of preparing and transporting the cash before it is placed on the machine.

Other banking machines have been developed to identify and count cash. Such machines must be used in banking and sales environments. The machines which count the money, usually require that the money be pr oriented in a particular way to obtain proper identification. This is a consumer of time for the person who operates the machine. Many cash counting machines also tend to reject valid notes due to natural impairment that occurs in money in bills. The speed associated with such bills and accepting machines is also less than desirable in many cases.

The automated banking machines, which are able to receive the cash, and to identify the particular and the denomination of the tickets, store the tickets and then supply them to a customer have been used in other countries outside the United States. Such recycling machines are feasible in countries, such as Japan, where note notes include special features, which facilitate their identification with machines. However, such recycling machines have not generally been feasible to work with American banknotes which do not include special features that facilitate identification by the machine. The US dollar bills of America have also been subject to a wide range of conditions such as wear, fouling, and bleaching, which makes the bill unfit for use, but which make it difficult for machine identifies it properly.

Recycling-type banking machines that have been developed generally suffer slow operating speeds. This is particularly true when machines are used to process a large number of notes or bills. Frequently, such machines require that bills are oriented in a particular manner and considerable time is associated with rejection notes due to improper orientation. Handling the leaves to facilitate identification and storage is also a time-consuming process. Once a sheet is initially identified as adequate and stored on the machine, there is usually no verification to be sure that the original determination of type and character of the billet was correct. As a result of this, a customer may have received an incorrectly identified ticket. This can reduce customer satisfaction.

Therefore, there is a need for an automated banking banknote recycle that is more reliable, operates more quickly and which can be used co-bills from the United States of America and other countries as well as other documents, which have a wide range of properties.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide an automated banking machine for the recycling of banknotes.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an automated bank recycling machine for banknotes that is reliable and operates more quickly.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an automated bank recycling machine for banknotes that works with banknotes and other documents having a wide variety of properties.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an automated banking machine for recycling bills that is capable of unstacking and separating documents from a stack.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an automated banking machine that orients documents in relation to a path while moving such documents at a high rate of speed.

It is further a further object of the present invention to provide an automated banknote recycling machine that can transport a plurality of documents in a sheet path concurrently and at a high speed rate.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an automated bank recycling machine for banknotes that identifies documents and which returns unidentifiable documents to a customer.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an automated banking machine for the recycling of banknotes that allow customers to deposit the documents in the bank machine and after the documents have been identified, the choice of whether documents are deposited to return.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an automated bank recycling machine for banknotes that can identify deposited documents carrying the orientation.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an automated banknote recycling machine that allows the selective storage of documents deposited in storage areas in the machine.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an automated banknote recycling machine that allows the selective storage of documents deposited in the removable containers.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an automated banknote recycling machine that allows the retrieval of stored documents and storage areas and the dispensing of documents to customers.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an automated banking machine in which documents can be transported concurrently, oriented stored in storage areas and assortments from other storage areas of the machine.

The additional objects of the present invention will be apparent from the following and better modes for carrying out the invention and the appended claims.

The above objects are achieved in a preferred embodiment of the present invention by an automated bank recycling banknote. The machine has a document management mechanism which includes an entry / exit area in which the client can insert documents that are to be deposited from which a client can withdraw documents and can receive such documents.

A customer deposits documents in a stack through an opening in the machine's case. The documents are moved from the entrance / exit area to a central transport. In an unstacking area, the documents are removed from the stack one by one by a stacking device and the network is separated into a stream of separate documents. The documents move along a document path in the central transport. The documents moving in the central conveyor are set straight by a right-hand positioning device to orientate angularly oriented relative to the direction of travel along the document path. The documents are also moved in an alignment device to align them in a proper and centered relation to the document's trajectory. The documents are also moved through a turning device which flips the document stream while maintaining the centered angular orientation of the same.

Each document is then moved beyond document type identifier device. The identifier device operates to classify documents as already identifiable which are acceptable by the machine or identifiable or otherwise unacceptable. The identification device preferably operates to identify the type and / or denomination of each document. Acceptable identifiable documents are directed to an escrow area while unidentifiable or otherwise acceptable documents are directed to an area of rejection of entry / exit of the machine.

A client is informed of any non-identifiable documents through the central devices d output of an interconnection of the machine. Any non-identifiable documents can then be delivered here from the rejection area. Alternatively, depending on the programming of the machine and / or the customer inputs, such rejected documents can be stored in the machine for a subsequent analysis or directed through the central transport back beyond the identification device.

The documents properly identified are initially in the escrow area. The output devices and the interconnection of the machine indicate indications to the client's representative of the type and / or the value of the identifiable documents. This type and value data is calculated by the machine's control system. The client preferably able to select if such documents are returned or deposit such documents. If the client chooses to return the documents, the documents are passed outside the entrance / exit area through the opening in the cash register and the client's account is not credited for the value of the documents If the client chooses to deposit the documents, these documents are removed through transport centr in a stream of documents that are quickly separated. L documents are again identified by the identification device. However, rather than being directed to the rejection and escrow areas, the documents identified are now preferably directed by the machine control system to selected storage areas. Storage areas in places where documents of particular types are stored in the machine. The storage areas and the preferred embodiment machine are areas in a plurality of removable cans. The control system of the machine operates to make the client's account be accredited by the value of the deposited documents. The same customer who deposits the documents is a subsequent customer, who wishes to make a withdrawal from the machine can receive the documents that have previously been stored in the storage areas. The document dispensing mechanisms associated with the storage areas selectively remove documents from the storage and response areas to the control system and direct the documents to the central transport of the machine. When the documents are moved through the central transport, they pass through the identification device of the type and denomination of each document that is being supplied is verified. This ensures that the initial identification of the documents made when they were deposited in the machine is correct. This third verification reduces the risk of a customer removing documents from the machine and giving them an inappropriate or incorrect document. The documents are removed from the storage areas concurrently to facilitate the rapid operation of the machine and are controlled in a movement through the remote transport segments and the central transport to ensure that they move as a flow of separate movements to pass the identification device.

The identified documents that are to be supplied to the customer are removed by the central transportation to the escrow area. From the escrow area these are presented to the customer through the opening in the box of the machine.

The machine's control system operates to cause the customer's account to be charged or debited for the documents that have been withdrawn.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the automated banking machine for recycling coins or bills of a preferred embodiment of the invention.

Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the functions carried out by the machine shown in Figure 1 Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the central transport components of the entrance / exit area of the machine.

Figure 4 is a view similar to that of the figur 1 schematically representing the entry of a stack of documents by a customer.

Figure 5 is a schematic view of the entry / exit area showing the disappointment of a document stack of a client.

Figure 6 is a view similar to that of Figure 5 showing the stack of documents after it has been placed inside the machine.

Figure 7 is a schematic view similar to that of Figure 1 showing an inserted document stack q being moved from the input / output area of the machine to the non-stacked area of documents of the machine.

Figure 8 is a schematic view showing the stack moving from the entry / exit area to the stacked area.

Figure 9 is a schematic view of the n-stacked area of the machine before the arrival of the stack.

Figure 10 is a schematic view of the n-stacked area showing a stack of documents that are still transported to the non-stacked area.

Figure 11 is a view similar to that of Figure 10 showing the stack of documents moving to a position for unstacking.

Figure 12 is a view similar to that of Figure 11 with the documents in position to be de-frayed in the non-stacked area.

Figure 13 is a view similar to that of Figure 1 showing the documents passing from the stacked area through the central transport to the rejection areas of the machine.

Figure 14 is a view similar to that of Figure 12 showing the document being unstacked in non-stacked area.

Figure 15 is a view similar to that of Figure 14 showing the document that is being removed from the stack and moving beyond the sensors to perceive double and pre-centered.

Figure 16 is a view showing a double bill that is being retracted in the stack.

Figure 17 is a cross-sectional view of a mechanism used to stack the bills in the stacking area.

Figure 18 is a schematic view of a shuttle mit which is part of a take-off mechanism, half of the shuttle is demonstrated in a ticket step position.

Fig. 19 is a view similar to that of Fig. 18 showing the shuttle half in a bill hold position.

Figure 20 is a top plane view of a shuttle used to remove the basket and center the documents central transport.

Figure 21 is a schematic view of ceased ticket.

Figure 22 is a schematic view similar to that of Figure 21 showing the bill that is being removed by the operation of the shuttle.

Figure 23 is a view similar to that of Figure 22 showing the banknote aligned transversely to the direction of travel in the central transport but in a condition outside the center.

Figure 24 is a schematic view of the one not shown in Figure 23 which has been moved by the shuttle to a position centered on the central transport.

Figure 25 is a schematic view showing the shuttle moving a document transversely to the direction of travel in the central transport.

Figure 26 is a schematic view of the pre-centering circuits used in collection with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 27 is a schematic view of the entry / exit area of the machine when the documents are delivered from the central transport.

Figure 28 is a schematic view similar to l of Figure 1 showing the unidentifiable documents that are being delivered outside the machine to a customer.

Figure 29 is a schematic view of the entry / exit area showing the unidentifiable documents that are being moved outside the machine.

Figure 30 is a schematic view similar to Figure 29 showing the unidentifiable documents that are being directed into the machine for storage.

Figure 31 is a schematic view similar to that of Figure 1 showing the documents maintained and impli directed to the central transport for storage and the machine.

Figure 32 is a schematic view of the entry / exit area that moves the documents defined in the escrow area.

Figure 33 is a schematic view showing a part of the drive mechanism for the drive belts in the entry / exit area.

Figure 34 is a schematic isometric view of the input / output area drive mechanism.

Figure 35 is a schematic view similar to that of Figure 1 showing the documents that have previously been retained in the escrow area that are being unstacked that are passed through the central transport and to the machine for storage in storage areas d document storage bins.

Figure 36 is schematic of a band and a carriage roller arrangement used for transporting the documents in the central transport of the machine.

Figure 37 is a side view of a gu used in relation to the carriage transport rollers.

Figure 38 is a cross-sectional side view of the carriage rollers, the document folders and the guides shown in a sopor connection with a document. Figure 39 is a side view of a gate mechanism based on directing the documents that move the remote transport segments, with the gate mechanism shown in a position that allows the document to pass directly through it.

Fig. 40 is a side view of a gate control mechanism shown in Fig. 39 in a condition of passing a document from the remote transport segment to a boat transport.

Figure 41 is a view similar to that of Figure 39 with the gate mechanism shown passing the document from a canister transport to the remotor transport segment.

Fig. 42 is a view of the gate mechanism shown in Fig. 39 in a condition that allows a document to pass from the can transport to the remote transport segment, with the document moving in the opposite direction from that shown in FIG. Figure 41 Figure 43 is a view of the gate mechanism shown in Figure 39 with a document pa from the remote transport segment to the transport container with the document moving in an opposite direction to that shown in Figure 40.

Figure 44 is a schematic view of arrangement of bands and pulleys adjacent to the compuer mechanism shown in Figure 39. 45 is a schematic sheet transport view exemplifying the principles used to move documents in remote transport segments and can transport.

Figure 46 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the document moving in transport of the type shown in Figure 35.

Figure 47 is a top plan view of a lid covering a storage area inside a banknote d recycle.

Figure 48 is a cross-sectional side view of a storage area in a billet can shown with a leaf moving towards the storage area.

Figure 49 is a view similar to that of Figure 48 showing the partially accepted sheet in the storage area.

Figure 50 is a front plane view of the supply wheels of the take-off wheels and the punch wheels adjacent to the storage area, with the ho shown moving to the storage area as shown in figure 49.

Figure 51 is a view similar to that of Figure 49 with the sheet moved within the storage area placed above the stack of documents held there.

Figure 52 is a view similar to that of Figure 50 with the accepted sheet integrated into the stack.

Figure 53 is a view similar to that of Figure 52 with the recently accepted sheet held as a pair of the stack by fingers placed on one side of the storage. Figure 54 is a schematic view similar to that of Figure 1 showing the flow of sheets from a storage area to a escrow area in response to an entry for a document assortment request by a user.

Figure 55 is a cross-sectional view of a storage area including a stack of sheets ah from which a sheet is to be removed as part of the assortment operation.

Figure 56 is a view similar to that of Figure 55 in which the fingers holding the sheet stacks in the storage area have been retracted to allow the sheets to engage the inside surface of the ark door Figure 57 is a view similar to that of Figure 56 in which the door of the ark is raised with the supply wheels and the punching wheels showing the beginning of its movement as to take a sheet from the stack.

Fig. 58 is a view similar to that of Fig. 57 showing the supply and punch wheels moved to a position in which a top sheet in the stack is being removed therefrom.

Figure 59 is a front view of the supply wheels, of the punching wheels, of the stripping wheel of the pick-up wheels in contact with a sheet as it is removed from the stack in the manner shown in figure 58.

Figure 60 is a view similar to that of Figure 58 with the sheet shown having been removed from the storage area and being perceived by a doubles reflector.

Figure 61 is a top plan view of the arcade door that views a storage area showing a sheet that has been removed therefrom and that moves toward a gate mechanism on the side of the remote transport.

Figure 62 is a schematic view similar to l of Figure 1 showing a stack of sheets that have been supplied from the storage locations being delivered to a user of the machine.

Figure 63 is a schematic view of the architecture of the control system of a preferred embodiment of the machine.

Figures 64-68 are simplified flow charts showing an exemplary transaction flow for a deposit transaction carried out in an automated bank recycling machine of the present invention.

Figures 69 and 70 are simplified flow charts showing the transaction flow of a withdrawal transaction carried out on the machine.

BEST MODES TO CARRY OUT THE INVENTION Referring now to the drawings particularly to Figure 1 there is shown an automated money recycling machine which represents or incorporation of the present invention generally indicated with the number 10. The machine includes an enclosure 12, the enclosure 1 includes an interconnection of client in an interconnection area generally indicated in point 14. Interconnection area 1 includes components used to communicate with a user of the machine. These components may include a display 16, which serves as part of an output device. The interconnection area d may also include a keypad 18 and / or a card reader 20, which serve as parts of manually operable input devices through which a user can input information or instructions to the machine. It should be understood that these devices are exemplary and that other input and output devices such as digital displays, audio speakers, iris scanning devices, fingerprint reading devices, microphone speech recognition devices, the user's recharge devices, the infrared transmitters and receivers and other devices, which are capable of receiving or providing information may be used.

The machine also includes other devices, which are indicated schematically. Such devices may include a receipt printer 22, which provides receipts to customers in relation to activities related to their transactions. Other devices indicated schematically include a journal printer 24 for making a paper record of the transactions. A booklet printer 26 indicated schematically may also be included within the enclosure of the machine. A check image formation device 28 may also be included for the purposes of producing electronic check images deposited on the machine as well as for canceling such checks. Such a check image formation device may be of the type shown in the United States patent. United States No. 5,422,467 or other mechanism that provides the performance of an imaging function.

Devices 22, 24, 26 and 28 are exemplary other devices may also be included in the device such as video cameras, to connect to a remote location, a deposit acceptance mechanism of envelope ticket printing devices, devices for I printed statements and other devices. It should further be understood that while the embodiment described herein is in the form of an automated teller machine (ATM) the present invention can be used in connection with other types of automated banking machines, which for the purposes of this description include any device or system, which operates to make electronic a transfer of values between two or more entities. The machine 10 includes a control system generally indicated by the number 30. The control system is in an operational connection with the machine components controlling the operation thereof, in accordance with the programmed instructions. The control system 30 also provides communications with other computers in connection with the transactions carried out in the magna. Such communications may be provided by any suitable means such as through telephone lines, wireless radio link or through a connection through a proprietary transaction re.

The preferred embodiment of the invention has the ability to recycle money or other sheets or documents representative of values received from a customer. For the purposes of this description except where indicated, the word documents, sheets, notes and money are used interchangeably to refer to the materials of ho processed by the invention. The recycling process involves receiving the bulk documents of a customer, identifying the type of documents deposited and storing the documents appropriate places in the machine. The stored documents can then be selectively retrieved and provide customers who wish to withdraw funds from the machine.

The preferred embodiment of the invention includes devices which comprise the functional components indicated schematically in Figure 2. These functional components include an input / output function which receives the documents and delivers the documents to the machine users. An unstack function 34 receives the documents from the input / output function 32. The unstack function is used to separate the documents from the stack and deliver them to a sheet path in a spaced apart relationship.

The functional components of the machine also include a positioning function in correct form 36. As discussed later in detail, the function of positioning and correct operation operates to orient documents so that they are aligned transversely with a sheet path A function of alignment 38 also orientates the documents that s move by centering them in relation to the trajectory d sheet. After the documents have been aligned these are passed to an identification function 40. The identification function operates to determine the type of document that passes through the sheet path. In the preferred embodiment, the identifying function includes determining the tip and denomination of the money bill or other document. Identifying function also preferably determines if a document appears suspicious or simply is not identifiable The identification function is linked to the input / output function so that clients can be returned any suspicious documents or identifiable documents, rather than being deposited in the machine. The identification function is also linked to the functions of storage and retrieval of documents 42, 44, 4 and 48. The storage and retrieval functions operate to store the documents in selected places, and to retrieve those documents for the purposes to supply the documents to a client. For the purposes of this discussion the documents handled by the invention will generally be rectangular sheet type documents and generally flat with a front face, a rear face and four side edges extending between the front face and the back face. However, the embodiments of the invention can handle other document configurations.

Referring again to Figure 1, the apparatus which performs the previously described functions is shown schematically. The input / output function is carried out in an input / output area generally indicated with number 50. The input / output area is adjacent to or opening 52 in the machine box. Access through opening 52 is controlled by a moving gate 54, which cu is shown in the closed position in figure 1.

The input / output area 50 includes a document handling mechanism with four band-type transports. These band-type transports are suitable for moving a stack of sheets, and preferably each u comprises a plurality of bands as shown. in patent of the States of America number 5,507,481. The opposite frontal steps of the first bands 56 and the second bands 58 serve as stack support members and join a delivery / rejection frame 60 which extends vertically between the bands. As will be explained later, bands 56 and 5 can move vertically one relative to another and move transversely in a coordinated relationship to transport a stack of sheets placed therebetween.

The document handling mechanism, including the input / output area 50, also includes the third bands 62 and the fourth bands 64. The opposing front steps of the third bands 62 and the fourth bands 6 vertically vertically join an area generally indicated with the number 66. The bands 62 and 64 are similar bands 56 and 58 and are capable of moving a document stack transversely therebetween. The bands in the entrance / exit area, as well as in the gate 55, as well as other components in the machine which move, are driven by the appropriate impellers schematically indicated with the number 68, which include the motors and mechanisms d appropriate transmission operatively connected to the various components and which are operated in response to the control system 30. The input / output area can be operated in various ways, examples of which will be discussed later. Figure 3 shows the entry / exit area 50 in greater detail. You should understand that even when the document handling mechanism of the shown embodiment uses the opposite band steps as the document support surfaces, other embodiments of the invention may use combinations of other types of moving or stationary surfaces as supporting surfaces. of document to selectively move documents on them.

The entrance / exit area communicates with the central transport generally indicated with the number 70. The central transport 70 includes a non-stacked area generally indicated with the number 72. The unstacking area includes a tray 74 which is suitable for moving a document stack on it. The unstacking area 72 further includes l transport bands 76 and collection bands 78. As will be explained in detail later, the documents in the unstacked area operate as a destacker device to separate the documents and deliver them in a path-spaced relationship to the documents. of the central transport.

The correct positioning operation also includes double sensors 80 for use in detecting double document cases which have been removed from a stack in the unstack area. These documents can be separated in a manner that will be discussed later. The pre-centering sensors are also provided in association with the unstack operation, whose sensors operate to ensure that correct positioning alignment operations are properly carried out.

From the unstacking area, the sheets are transported to a combined alignment and centering device 84. The centered device and aligner 84 includes an aligner device which functions to angularly align the sheets transversely to a sheet path. This also includes an aligner device, which works to move the leaves transversely so that they are centered in relation to the path of leaves through the central transpor.

From the aligner and centering device, the documents change direction by being turned on a turning device which includes the carriage rollers 8 and are moved beyond an identification device 88. identification device is preferably of the one shown in the application U.S. Patent No. 08 / 749,260 filed November 15, 199, which is owned by the assignee of the present invention, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. And alternate additions, other types of identification devices may be used. The identification devices preferably identify the type and character of the ticket that passes. The identifier device also preferably distinguishes genuine documents such as genuine money notes from unidentifiable or suspect documents. In this way, the identification device operates to classify documents as those, which are acceptable to the machine or unacceptable to the machine.

From the identification device, the documents are selectively addressed in response to the position of the deflection gates schematically identified with the number 90. The deviation gates operate as part of a routine device. The diverting doors are moved in response to impellers, which operate under control of the control system to direct the documents already to the delivery / reject area 60, to the escrow area 66 or to the storage and retrieval area of the documents. machine.

The document recovery and storage areas include recycle bins 92, 94, 96 and 98, which will be described later in detail. The recycled cans are preferably removable from the machine by authorized personnel. In the embodiment shown, each recycling bin includes four storage areas there. These are represented by the storage areas 100, 102, 104 and 106 in the canister 94. The storage areas provide places to store the documents that are satisfactorily passed through the central transport. The documents are preferably stored in the storage areas with documents of the same type. The documents stored in the storage areas can then be removed or collected from them at one time and delivered to their customers.

The documents are moved to canisters through a remote transport, which includes remot transport segments generally indicated with the numbers 108, 110, 112 and 114. The remote transport segments are preferably arranged in an aligned relationship, so that the Documents can be passed between transport segments. Each remote transport segment has a gate mechanism associated with it. The gates generally indicated with the number 11,118,120 and 122 operate in a manner which is explained below to selectively direct the documents of the remote transport segments in connection with the indicated adjacent delivery hauls 124, 126, 12 and 130. The boat transports operate in a way that will be explained later, to move the documents to the storage areas and from them in the boats.

It should be appreciated that the various components, which comprise the gates, the transport and storage areas, have associated sensors and motors, all of which are in an operative connection with the control system for the purposes of sensing and controlling the movement of the vehicle. the documents through them. It should be noted that in a preferred embodiment of the invention a dump area generally indicated with the number 132 is provided within the machine enclosure at the bottom of the remote transport segments. The landfill area 132 functions as a receptacle for documents that are determined to be documents not suitable for handling or which are not otherwise considered suitable for a subsequent recovery and assortment to a customer. In the landfill area of the preferred embodiment 13 It comprises a tray, which can be moved outwards in the machine enclosure to facilitate the cleaning and removal of documents when the inside of the machine is accessed.

The automated money recycling machine will now be explained through an example of the operational steps and functions carried out in connection with a customer's deposit transaction. It should be understood that this is only one example of a way in which the machine can be operated. Other operating methods and functions can be achieved based on the programming of the machine.

The transaction flow for the deposit transaction is shown in Figures 64-68. A client approach to the machine 10 operates in the interconnection area d client 14 to allow the operation of the machine. This can include, for example, the insertion of a credit or debit card and the entry of a person identification number (PIN). Of course, they may require other steps from the client to identify themselves to the machine. This may include other modes of operation such as biometric or fingerprint identification devices. These steps which the client follows to identify himself to the machine are represented in Figure 64 by the sequence of customer identification which is indicated by the number 134. The identification sequence is preferably operative to make the machine solve a user account, which is already debited or credited as a result of the transactions carried out on the machine.

After the clients identify themselves to the machine, the machine is programmed to proceed through the main transaction sequence indicated generally with the number 136. This sequence of main transaction preferably provides the customer with a menu of the various options of transactions that are available to be carried out in the machine 10. The transaction flow continues in Figure 64 of a step 138 in which a client chooses to carry out a deposit transaction which involves entering documents such as notes or money bills.

When the customer indicates that he wants to make a deposit the machine then executes a step 140. In the pas 140 an inner door indicated with the number 142 in Figures 4 and 5 moves to block the additional access to the interior of the machine. the delivery / reject area 60. After the inner gate 142 is extended, the program then executes a step 144 in which the front gate 54 on the machine is moved to an aperture 52. These sensors are photosensors in the illustrated embodiment , but can be d other types of presence sensors in other incorporations. E - - -. __ »This position a customer is enabled to insert a stack indicated documents with the number 146 in Figure 5 in the delivery / rejection frame 60 between the bands 56 and 58. As shown in Figure 5, the bands 58 and 56 also they can run inside to help place the stack 146 against the inner gate 142.

As shown in Figure 6, the delivery / receipt sensors 148 and 150 are placed within the machine box on the side of the opening 52. In the transaction flow as shown in Figure 64, a step 152 pa is executed. determine if the storage cell 146 has moved beyond the sensors. Determination is made in step 154 as to whether the sensors are clear. If the sensors 148 and 15 are not cleared, a step 154. is carried out. In step 15 efforts are made to clear the sensors. This was done by running the transport belts 56 and 58 into a step 156 and driving the customer in a step 158 to enter the deposit. A check is then made again to see if the sensors have been cleared. Provisions are made in the transaction flow so that after a number of tests to clear the sensors, the transport bands 56 and 58 are run in reverse to remove anything that has gotten into the machine, and the gate 54 is closed.

However, if the sensors 148 and 150 are clear indicating that a stack of documents has been properly inserted, the transaction flow moves to a step 160 which the front gate 54 is again closed as shown in Figure 6. The flow of transaction is then moved to step 162 in which the inner gate 142 is retracted so that the stack 146 can be further processed in the manner described hereinafter.

The stack is then moved as schematically shown in Figure 7 of the delivery / reject area 60 the non-stacked area 72. This is achieved as shown in Figur 65 by moving a carriage which holds four band 64 upwards in the entry / exit area 50 as shown in Figure 8. The carriage for the bands 64 is moved up by an impeller that includes a motor and transmission mechanism to engage the carriage support bands 6 and 58 and to move this one up too. The carriages move up until the stack 146 is sandwiched between the bands 56 and 58. This is shown by step 164 in Figure 65. The bands 58 and 56 are then driven to move the stack toward in toward the stacked area 72.

The unstacking area 72 includes a stacked n wall 170. An unstacking wall 170 includes a plurality of steps 172 thereon. The purpose of which is explained later. The steps include the cross-sectional surfaces that extend generally perpendicular to one another. The unstacking wall 17 includes there a plurality of slots that extends generally vertically (not shown). The tray 7 includes a plurality of tray projections 174 which extend from an upper surface of the tray and extend into the slots. On one side of the pickup band 78 are the contact stripping wheels indicated with the number 176 and the stripping wheels if contact 178 whose function will be explained later.

In the operation of the machine the stack 146 e moved to the unstacking area for said unstacking. This is represented by a step 180 in Figure 65. As shown in Figure 10, in the step of moving the stack 146 to an unstacked area d, the tray 74 moves sufficiently toward the transport bands 66 for a movement mechanisms d so that the stack 146 can be moved thereon. The rear top 166 is raised by a movement mechanism to allow the entry of the stack. The transport bands 76 and the tray bands 168 move forward so that the stack 146 moves toward the destacking wall 170. In the preferred form of the invention the tray 74 is pressed with resorption upwards and once the stack 146 is moved between them, the stack is maintained between the bands 168 on the tray 74 and the transport bands 76 and the picking bands 78 by the pressing force acting on the tray. The movement mechanisms for the top of the return bands and trays are impellers which include suitable motors and transmission devices.

As shown in Figure 11, once the stack 146 moves past the stop 166, the return stop is lowered by its mechanism movement to be positioned behind the stack. As discussed below, the back top is usually useful when unzipping double bills which can be picked up during the unstacking operation. As shown in Figure 11 the bands 78 are also run in the forward direction to move the pil 146 towards the wall 170. As shown in Figure 12 when the stack is completely moved against the wall 170 the stop in angle and the walls and the steps 172 on the surface of the wall tend to extend the sheets in the stack. This extension of the sheets tends to break the surface tension between the adjacent sheets and facilitates the separation of each sheet adjacent to each other. It should be noted that the steps 172 are configured in a progression with the angle of the wall with the passage surfaces joining the steps generally extending upwards and the passage surfaces extending in a direction of blade travel. The steps are configured so that the contact of the leaves in the stack 146 with the steps 162 generally does not interfere with the movement of the tray 74 upwards as the sheets of the stack are removed. This allows the tray 74 to apply a continuous upward pressing force so that the uppermost ho in the stack contacts the collecting bands 78.

Referring again to the transaction flow Figure 65, once the stack has been moved to the unstacked position a check is made in step 182 to determine the presence of notes in the non-stacked area Assuming that the notes are properly in position flow then moves to an unstack routine on a pa 184. As will be explained later in detail, the control system 30 of the present invention is a novel type control system which facilitates the rapid operation of the machine as represented in phantom by step 186 the control system operates to concurrently perform the tasks As a result of this, rather than unstacking a single billet in the manner hereinafter described and then waiting for it to be processed, the preferred embodiment of control system 30 unstacks a ticket and as soon as the billet has left the unstacking area, it proceeds to unstack another ticket.

This allows to provide a stream of separate sheets which move concurrently in the central transport under the control of the control system. It greatly speeds up the operation of the machine. * • > • The operation of the machine in the unstacked operation d is schematically represented in Figure 13 As shown there, the stack 146 in the unstacking area 72 is separated into a stream of single sheets which move through the central transport 70 in the direction of the arrows C. The notes are then selectively directed by reason which are subsequently explained by the steering mechanism and which includes the deflection gates 90 to either the delivery / rejection area 60 or the bearing area 66.

The operation of the unstacking device to unstack the sheets in the unstacking area 72 is explained with reference to Figures 14-17. The stack 146 is pushed up against the collection strips 78 by the patent leather 74. The lower pallet of the strips 78, which serves as pick-up members, is hooked with the top sheet in the stack, moves to the left in Figure 14 to collect a sheet 188. As shown in Figure 17, the picking bands 78 are supported on the rollers and the faces of the picking bands which engage the sheet extending beyond the faces on the web. the outer circumference of the stripping wheels 178. The stripping wheels 176 are arranged in a generally top-to-opposite relationship to the two inner strip strips 78. By moving the strip strips to the left as shown in Fig. 14 Contact stripping wheels and non-contact stripping wheels 176 and 178 do not move, thus moving in an opposite direction in relation to the mobile picking bands. This serves to hook a back face of the upper leaf which moves from the pile and serves to keep the leaves different from the upper sheet in the pile.

It should be noted that the configuration of the rollers holding the strip strips 78 and the stripping wheels 176 and 178 give the sheets a wavy transverse section or scallop as shown in the sheet 188, when the sheet of the stack is collected. This deformation of the sheet helps to facilitate the separation of the sheet from the pile. Although the bands and rollers are used in the preferred embodiment to impart a wave configuration to the sheets, in other embodiments, other combinations of rollers, projection rails, fingers, guides and bands may be used to deform and / or move the leaves.

Referring again to Figure 14, if the sheet 188 that is moved from the stack is a single sheet, this condition is perceived by the double sensors 80. This means that the sheet is suitable for movement in the central transport. The blade then moves past the double sensors 80 in the vicinity of the take-up rolls 190 and 192. In response to the sheet being perceived as being a single sheet, the take-up roll 192 is moved in response to the system. d control of the position shown in phantom to the position shown in solid lines in which it is in contact with the sheet 188. The removal rollers 192 and 190 are driven in the indicated directions to move the sheet out of the battery. The drive of the withdrawal pins is clocked by the control system 30 to ensure that the blade 188 is properly spaced a distance from the non-stacked sheet moving through the central transport.

As shown in Figure 15 sheet 188 e moved by withdrawal rollers 190 and 192 which serves as a withdrawal device, beyond the pre-centering sensors 82. The pre-centering sensors operate in a manner that is will later describe to perceive the position of the transversely opposite pair of the lateral edges of the leaf. These edges generally join the sheet and extend it parallel to the direction of movement of the sheet. The signals of the pre-centering sensors 82 are used by the control system 30 to move a shuttle which serves as a sheet gripper and which is associated with the stretching and centering operations for the sheet. The control system is operative to move the shuttle transverse in the transport path to a position in which it is enabled to catch the moving leaf in the manner that will allow the sheet to be aligned. Preferably, shuttle moves through the control system to catch the document in a generally centered relationship between the lateral edge surfaces of each bill. This characteristic is particularly valuable when the leaves which are removed from the pile are of different sizes.

It should be understood that even when the United States of America has tickets which are of the same size for all denominations, other countries use documents of different sizes for various types of coins. It is a fundamental advantage of the present invention that the documents inserted by a user do not need to be arranged so that the documents are all of the same size, nor that the documents need to be oriented in a particular direction in order to be handled by the preferred embodiment of the invention. The unstacker device of the embodiment described is particularly well suited for unstacking the sheets and which may not necessarily be positioned as having a side edge in alignment with the wall 170 particularly for the sheets in the middle of the stack 146.

In the event that a double document ticket is received by the double sensors 80, the bills can be separated. A double bill is indicated in Figure 16 by the sheets 194 which for the purpose of this example, are considered to be two overlapping sheets. To separate these sheets the collection bands 78 are stopped and the tray 74 s moves downward in response to the control system that the stack 146 is no longer pushed against the lower pallets of the collection bands 78.

The collection bands 78 are then run backwards so that the lower pallet thereof moves to the right as shown. This pulls the leaves back to the pile. The contact stripping wheels 176 and the non-contact stripping wheels also rotate to facilitate and pull the sheets back into the stack. This is achieved in the preferred embodiment by having the wheel stripping operated by a one-way clutch. The stripping wheels can rotate freely in the direction shown in Figure 16 but may not rotate in the opposite direction. The movement of the bands 78 pulls the sheets 194 back to the stack. The rear strip stop operates to prevent the blade from moving too much and falling out of the stack.

Once the sheets 194 are returned to the top of the stack in the tray 74 it is again raised, the collection operation is attempted. Generally one or more repeated attempts to undress the leaves will be successful so that the leaves are continuously removed from the stack 14 one by one. It should be understood that while the bands used as the picking member and the rollers are used as the stripping members in the embodiment described, and other additions other types of members may be used.

The transaction flow associated with the perception of doubles and the efforts to undress the upper sheet are shown in Figure 65. In a step 196 a determination is made as to whether a double (or a higher multiple document has been perceived during the routine of If this is the case, the step associated with the descent of the stack 198 is executed.The collection bands are moved in reverse in a step 200 to pull the doubles back into the stack and the stack and then raised in one step 202. As previously discussed, the unstacking routine is then started again, of course if the doubles are not perceived when a sheet is collected the sheet moves beyond the pre-centering sensors 82 and the transverse position of the note in transport is perceived in step 204.

After a document passes through the pre-centering sensors, it moves to the combined stretching and alignment device 84. The stretching device is adapted to catch a moving sheet and align its leading edge generally transverse to the direction of travel of the sheet. leaf in the path of the leaf. A v that the leading edge of the sheet has been angularly aligned the alignment device operates to move the sheet of paper so that its centerline is generally in alignment with the transverse centerline of the transport path. Doing this allows the document to be identified more quickly for reasons which are explained later.

As shown in Figure 20, the combined extruder and alignment device 84 includes a launcher indicated with the number 204. The shuttle is composed of a shuttle half hal 206 and 208. Each half of the lance includes a leaf brake for decelerate the area of the leaf with which the leaf brake contacts. Each shuttle means is connected to a drive shaft 210. The drive shaft is rotated by a drive motor or a similar device which operates to move the pinch wheels 212 and 214 on the shuttle halves in the manner described hereinbefore. The shuttle 204 can also be moved transversely in a support connection with the drive shaft 210. The shuttle is moved by a transverse movement device which operates in response to a motor or similar drive which is operatively connected to the control system. of the machine. The launcher also includes a first sensor 216 on one side of the shuttle med 206 and a second sensor 218 on one side of the shuttle med 208. The shuttle also includes a half sensor 220. On one embodiment the sensors are optical sensors, but can be used. other sensors. The pinch rollers engage a segmented loose shaft 222. The loose shaft includes the transversely adjacent segments which are independently rotatable.

Referring to Figure 18, the half thrower 206 is shown schematically there. The half-thrower includes a solenoid 224. The solenoid 224 is connected to a movable brake rod 226 which can be moved over the bolts 228. The solenoid and the brake rod are part of a brake mechanism. The pinch wheel 212 serves as a moving member and rotates around a central pin 230. The central pin 23 is movably mounted in a vina groove 232 on the body of the shuttle means 206. The drive shaft 210 is a tip axle. slotted as shown. The shaft 210 extends through a driving wheel 234 which is mounted to rotate about the body of the shuttle means 206. The driving shaft and the driving wheel serve as a part of a first drive mechanism for moving the pinch wheel 212. .

As shown in Figure 18 when the solenoid 224 is not energized the pinch wheel 212 is pressed to make contact with the driving wheel 234 by means of a resorvoir indicated schematically 236. The pinch wheel 212 rotates in response to the rotation of the shaft. impeller 210. Pinch wheel rotation 212 also engages the independently rotatable segments of segmented shaft 222. L documents are enabled to pass through the point of pressure between pinch wheels 212 and segmented shaft 22 in response to roller rotation of pinch 212 by the driving wheel 234.

As shown in Figure 19, when the solenoid 224 is energized the brake rod 226 moves. The brake rod serves as part of a contact device to engage the pinch wheel so as to discharge it from the drive wheel. As a result of this the pinch wheel decelerates rapidly. The movement of the brake rod causes the brake rod to engage the pinch wheel 212. When the brake rod engages the pinch wheel, the pinch wheel is displaced from the driving wheel 234. The pinch wheel is then stopped by contact with the brake rod and movement is prevented until the solenoid is de-energized again and the brake rod is retracted As a result of this, the area of the document that is placed at the point of pressure between the pinch roller 21 and the segmented shaft 222 when the solenoid is energized, s will stop at this position. It will be avoided that the documents move to the area of the pressure point until the solenoid is de-energized.

The operation of the shuttle is indicated schematically in Figures 21-24. As shown in Figure 21, a sheet or document 238 is shown moving in the direction of the arrow in the sheet path. The shuttle s moves prior to the arrival of the blade in a transverse direction on the drive shaft 210 so that the pinch rollers 212 and 214 will both engage the blade. This is done by the control system 30 based on the signals of the pre-centering sensors 82 which are upwards of the launcher 204. The pre-centering sensors are operated to perceive the lateral edges of the transverse ends of the leaf The shuttle it moves transversely in the path of the blade by the transverse moving device which includes a fast-acting motor or other suitable device. The shuttle moves transversely to engage the sheet with both pinch rollers and so that the sheet is generally centered transversely between the pinch rollers.

In response to the blade 238 moving into the area adjacent the pinching rollers, the sensors 216 218 and 220 perceive the sheet. Because the sample sheet 23 is biased, the sensor adjacent the pinch roller 214 and which is the sensor 218 will sense the leading edge of the first sheet. When this occurs, the solenoid associated with the shuttle means 208 is energized, stopping the movement of the pinch pin 214, while the roller 212 continues to rotate in response to the rotation of the axis 210. As a result of this the sheet 238 begins to rotate about the area of the pinch point 240 created between the stationary roller 214 and the segmented arm 222. Because the blade 238 moves so that the front and rear faces of the blade are held in the roller area 214, the front edge 242 of the sheet began to move angularly to a condition aligned in the direction transverse to the direction of blade movement.

As shown in Figure 23, the blade 238 rotates around the pinch point 240 until the leading edge is transversely aligned with the blade path When an aligned condition is reached, the solenoid 224 is preferably energized to stop the movement of the blade. pinch rod 212. This produces a second pinch point 24 between the banknote 238 and the loose axis 222.

In the stopped condition of the bill shown in Figure 23, the leading edge of the sheet extends in the path beyond the centering sensors generally indicated by the numeral 246. The centering sensors operate to perceive the lateral edges of the sheet indicated with numbers 248 and 250 in Figure 23, in a manner hereinafter described. On perceiving the lateral edges the control system 30 determines the position of the central line which extends through a central part of the sheet 238. This central line is indicated schematically in Figure 23 with the number 252. The shuttle then the blade is moved transversely in the manner indicated in Figure 25. The blade is moved in a contact relationship between pinch rollers 212 and 214 and segmented loose shaft 222. As shown in Figure 24, blade 238 is moved. to the right so that the center line of the sheet 252 is generally in alignment with a center line of the transport path of leaf 254.

Once the sheet has been stretched in this way and moved to a relationship centered in the transport path, the solenoids operating the pinch rollers 212 and 214 are released simultaneously to discharge the leaf 238 of the shuttle. This is done in response to the control system in a manner which ensures that the sheet 238 is adequately spaced by at least a selected minimum amount of a preceding sheet. Optimally the blade retracts in any way from what is absolutely necessary to ensure that the blade is properly oriented.

The schematic view of the centering circuit components which is part of the machine control system and which is used in relation to the sensors The centered 246 and the pre-centering sensors 82 are schematically indicated in Figure 26. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the sensors 246 include the coupled and charged devices (CCDs) which are used to sense the edges of the sheet. A sensor is included on each transverse side of the leaf path. An emission on an opposite sheet side is provided. The emitter provides a source of radiation to perceive the edges of the sheet. In other embodiments, other types of sensors may be used. The signals from the sensors 246 are transmitted to a modified 256. The signals from the amplifier are sent to a digitized comparison 258. The digitized comparator is provided with a threshold input from an interconnection 260.

A trip point output from the interconnection 260 is determined by a computer program routine that adjusts the threshold input for the presence of a bill based on the radiation perceived by the sensors when a ticket is not present. This allows adjustment of the sensors with respect to changes during the operation of the device, such as changes in the intensity of the emitters or the accumulation of dirt on the emitters or on the sensors.

The output of the digitized comparator is transmitted to a programmable logic device 262. The programmable logic device determines the position of the edge of the note transmits the output signals together with the timing signals to a processor 264. The processor generates signals according to its programming to move the transverse movement device which moves the launcher transversely to the desired position. In the case of pre-centering sensors, the shuttle moves to a position to ensure that it finds the note preferably d so that the bill is generally centered between the pinch wheels. In the case of centering and stretching sensors, the shuttle is moved to ensure that the note moves to align with the center of the transport. The timing signals also follow when the front and back edges of the bill find the sensors to allow the control system to maintain adequate separation of the bills within the central part. The signals of the sensor 246 as well as those of the sensors 216, 218 and 220 on the shuttle are used to ensure that a note which has been released from the shuttle moves outward in the coordinated and appropriate manner.

The logical flow associated with the stretching and alignment operations of the described embodiment is shown with reference to the steps indicated in Figure 65. As indicated by step 266, the signals of the pre-center sensors 82 are used by the system. control to move the shuttle to make sure it hooks the bill. A stretching leg 268 operates in the manner already described to align a leading edge of the bill so that it extends transversely to the direction of movement of the sheet in transport. In a step 279 the center line of the sheet moved in alignment with the center line of the sheet transport. The sheet having been stretched and aligned, this is released in the passage 272 in a chronized manner and continues on its path in the path of the sheet.

It should be understood that although in the described embodiment of the invention a pair of blade brake mechanisms placed transversely in the blade path for engaging and stopping the blade, and other embodiments of the invention, the blade brake mechanisms are used, may be used. have different relative speeds but n stop the sheet. The alternate additions can actually accelerate the rate of movement of an area of the leaf to orient it. However, it should be understood that for the purposes of this description the deceleration of one area of a leaf is relative to another area of the sheet, and will include and increase at the speed of displacement of another leaf area. It should be further understood that even in the The disclosed leaf blade brakes include a movable member which imparts both movement and decelerates the leaves, in other embodiments the leaf movement may be imparted by mechanisms other than those which decelerate relatively one area of the leaf compared to another area of the blade. The sheet as to change its alignment.

As shown in Figure 13, after a document leaves the alignment and stretching device said document moves through the transport area centers where it is sensed by several sensors associated with the identification device 88. In one form Preferred of the invention the identification device includes the device described in the United States patent application of America series number 08 / 749,260 filed on November 15, 1996 which is incorporated herein by reference as if it had been written here completely. This identification device is suitable to identify the type and denomination of a passing document. It is also suitable to distinguish genuine documents from suspicious documents. A benefit of the device used in the embodiment described is its ability to identify a document despite the document failure to be aligned with the path of the sheet. It should be understood that due to the various conditions, despite the efforts made to orient each sheet, the sheets may still be somewhat out of alignment at the time of analysis by the identification device. Of course in other additions, other devices can be used to classify and identify the sheets.

The ticket analysis by the identification device 88 produces signals. These signals can be indicative of the type of ticket and the denomination Alternatively, the signals can be indicative that the note can not be identified satisfactorily or that they are invalid. These signals are transmitted to the control system 30 which operates the diversion gates 90 to a central transport side. As shown in Figure 27, in a preferred embodiment of the invention, documents which can not be identified with a high degree of confidence or which are otherwise classified as unacceptable by the magician are directed by the doors 90 to the delivery / rejection area 60 and are subjected to the second bands 58 of the document handling mechanism. Such rejected bills are represented in Figure 27 by a stack 274.

The documents identified as suitable for the deposit are directed by the diversion gate 90 to the cover area 66 where such bills are held on the web 64. Such identified documents are shown in Figure 27 by the stack 276. It should be understood that the Direction of the sheets identified to the position of escrow 266 is optional depending on the programming of the control systems 30 d the machine or the customer inputs to the interconnection of the machine. Banknotes classified as identifiable acceptable can be directed directly to the storage areas appropriate for recovery.

The transaction flow associated with the analysis of the documents and the address to the rejection / delivery and escrow areas of the document handling mechanism is represented in Figure 66. The analysis of the documents and movement is represented by a step 278 If the ticket is properly identified as a type that is acceptable in step 280, a check is made in the next step 282 to determine if the machine is in a deposit mode, if this is so the properly identified notes are directed to the storage areas in recycling bins. If the machine is not currently in a storage mode, which is the case with the described example, the appropriately identified bills are directed to the escrow position in a step 284.

If in a step 280 a bill is not identifiable or is identified as unacceptable the bill is directed to the reject position in a step 286. Of course you should understand that the steps of unstacking, pre-centering, stretching, d-alignment and identification of All tickets are being carried out concurrently as each document is passed in the flow of documents through the central transport. The bills are continuously being directed to the escrow or rejection positions until the stack of bills has been completely unstacked.

In the operation of the invention of the preferred embodiments, the sheets which are not acceptable to the machine, such as the unidentifiable sheets, and the sheets which appear suspicious are returned to the customer from the entrance / exit area 50. This is represented schematically in Figure 28 which shows the rejected pil 274 that is being delivered to the customer through the opening 52. This is normally done by the machine after displaying to the customers through the interconnection 14, l information about a number of documents which were not identifiable or not acceptable in the deposit pile that had been submitted. The control system can also calculate a value of the acceptable documents and the client will be notified through the interconnection of the value of the documents that have been properly identified.

In alternate additions to the client, you can give the option to enter a re-treat input to the client interconnection input device, which causes the machine to rework the rejected sheets to determine if they can be identified. If this occurs, the machine can be programmed to run the reject stack 27 back through the central transport in the manner previously made with the deposited stack. In the reassessment of unacceptable documents only the documents in the rejection pile will be re-isolated or alternatively all the input documents can be checked again depending on the client inputs to the interconnection and / or programming of the machine. If only the documents initially rejected are going to be verified again and any are determined as acceptable, the control system will re-calculate the number and / or the value of the acceptable documents. The client will be given several outputs and options for tickets depending on the situations that arise. There may be many options for programming the machine encompassed by the invention and the particular approach selected depends on the preference of the operator of the machine.

Assuming that the reject stack 274 is to be returned to the customer, the reject stack is delivered to the client in a manner indicated in Figure 29. The inner door 142 is extended while the carriage support strips 64 are raised in a manner that the stack 276 engages with the carriage support bands 62 and 58. The bands 58 are raised so that the reject stack engages the webs 56. When the reject stack 274 is in sandwich form between the webs 56 and 58 s opens the door 54. The reject stack 274 is moved by the webs 56 and 58 out through the opening 52 in the machine box. The delivery and receipt sensors 148 and 150 on the side of the opening 52 operate to sense the movement of the battery.

The transaction flow associated with the delivery of the reject stack to the customers is represented in Fig. 66. In step 288 a determination is made as to whether the banknotes are present in a reject stack after all the sheets have been not stacked and have been passed through central transport. If this is the case, the reject stack is moved to the delivery position in step 290. The inner door is closed in a step 292 as shown in Figure 29. The front port is then opened in step 294 and the bands are driven to deliver the customer rejection stack in the country 296.

As shown in Figure 67, the client can then be urged to take the reject stack in a step 298. This is done through the output devices over the client interconnect. The sensors 148 and 150 are then monitored in a step 300 and a decision is made in step 302 d if the reject sheets have been taken. If the sheets are taken the front door 54 of the machine is closed at a step 304 the inner door is retracted in a step 306.

As previously discussed, in the described incorporation of the invention the client is required to take the rejected sheets. Therefore if in a step 302 the customer has not taken the sheets, the transport is operated to push the sheets out of the opening 52 in a step 308. After the transport has run in a sufficient manner to push the sheets outwardly the Front door is closed.

In alternate additions to the invention, the customer may have the option of having the reject stack retested to determine whether the documents can be identified. This is done in response to customer entries through an interconnection input device. In other alternate incorporations, the machine can be programmed so as not to return rejected or unidentified sheets to customers. This can be done for purposes such as to prevent counterfeit bills from being placed back in circulation. If the magic is programmed in this manner, the reject stack 274 can be moved in the manner shown in Figure 30 back to the non-stacked area of the machine for an additional pass through central transport. In this second pass the leaves can be either returned to the rejection area if they can not be identified; they can be placed in the escrow area they can be identified; or alternatively, recycle cans 132 can be passed to a storage location in the garbage area for further analysis. Because the preferred embodiment of the present invention is able to follow individual sheets which pass through the machine, it is possible for the machine to continue to determine where the particular sheets were originally based on their storage location and position within the machine. This is done by storing information in a memory associated with the control system.

Returning to the operation of the described embodiment, the stack 276 maintained in the escrow position now moved upward and the entry / exit area as indicated in FIG. 31. At this point, the customer may have the option to receive the identifiable leaves that have been deposited again. This can be done, for example, if the clients are not in agreement with the account of the machine's sheets. This can be achieved by programming the machine so that the customer can obtain the return of the documents in escrow by an appropriate input to an input device of the interconnection.

If the machine is programmed to deposit the identified documents held in escrow, the machine moves the document stack 276 in the manner shown in Figure 31 Alternatively, the escrow stack will be moved in a manner shown in Figure 31 if the magic requires that the customer entry deposits the escrow documents and that entry is given through the customer interconnection.

When the stack stack 276 is to be deposited at storage places in the magna, the web 64 is raised to the position shown in Figure 32 and the stack stack 276 is placed in the form of a sandwich between the webs 62 and 64. The bands are then urged to move the stack stack 276 to non-stacked area of the machine in the manner previously described The operation of the document handling device which includes the driving rolls and the moving band carriages of the entrance / exit area 50 is described in greater detail in Figures 33 and 34. The carriage associated with the bands 64 is moved upwards. and down by a drive or elevator. The carriage held by bands 62 and 58 is free floating but is restricted to a degree to which it can move downward. The carriage holding the bands 56 can be rotatably conformed to the position of an adjacent stack but it is generally avoided that s move downwards from the position shown. This configuration minimizes the complexity of the document handling device.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention the carriage support strips 64, 62 and 68 are guided to move vertically by a first guide / pusher shaft 310 and a second guide / pusher shaft 312. The guide / drive shafts serve as guides and the carriages move an operational support connection therewith. The guide shafts / impellers n generally extend generally vertically, but gu are also slotted shafts that can be rotated by suitable drive and drive mechanisms in the directions shown. For example, the impeller may include one or more electric motors, which are operatively connected to the guide shafts / impellers by the gears, the bands or other motion transmission devices. The mobile journal guide blocks 314 and 316 can movers vertically on the axis 310. Each journal guide block represented by the guide blog 314 in Figure 33 includes the oscillating gears 318. The oscillating gears operate to transmit the rotational movement from the guide shaft / impeller 310 to the axes 320 and 322. The axes 320 and 32 include the rollers on which the webs 56 and 58 are respectively supported.

The guide blocks 324 and 326 can be moved on the shaft 312. As indicated in FIG. 33 by the guide block 324, the journal guide block includes the oscillating gears 328 which operate to transmit the rotational movement of the shaft. guide / driver 312 to the axes 330 and 332. The webs 62 and 64 are supported on the rollers which are driven by the axes 330 and 332 respectively.

As it should be appreciated, this arrangement for driving the bands in the entry / exit area reduces the complexity and comparison to other arrangements. This arrangement also increases the flexibility to selectively place stacks of documents. The bands of the embodiment shown are preferably arranged so that the opposing web paddles that unite the areas where the stacks are accepted are transversely offset. This facilitates the movement of the batteries without biasing them. This also allows the document handling device to move the webs facing each other in an opposite manner to one side and beyond the point where the facing pallets joining an area are coplanar. This allows the adjacent carriages of the mechanism to retract to a relatively small size in the vertical direction. This feature may be desirable when the carriages move aside undocumented in an area between the opposite bands. This also facilitates the movement of the plic area sufficiently upward to be in alignment with the unstack device or the opening in the box. This allows a single box opening of a relatively small size to be used to receive and deliver documents. Of course in other additions, multiple openings can be used In the embodiment shown, the stack support members include the band vanes and all the band vanes can be moved in a transverse direction to move the stack of documents. In other embodiments, other stack support members may be used. For example, arrays of rollers, bands or other movable support members may be used to move stacks of documents. Arrays of movable and non-movable support members alternate or opposite may be used. Alternatively, support members that move non-transversely can be used with support member devices which push or pull the stack.

Returning to the sample transaction flow with the stack stack 276 in the position shown in FIG. 31, the transaction flow continues in the manner indicated in FIG. 67. As indicated in step 334, the escrow stack is movable. upward so that it is generally aligned with the opening in the box and in a position to either be delivered to the customer or to be moved back to the non-stacked position. The clients operating the machine are then urged to step 336 to indicate whether they desire the return of the escrow stack or that the quantity be deposited in the plic pile on the machine. As indicated by step 338, if the client chooses to have the stack returned rather than deposited, the machine continues to return the stack to the customer through the opening.

The process of returning the stack is indicated through the transaction flow shown in Figure 68. E this point in the transaction flow the stack stack 266 is on one side of the opening 52, and can be easily delivered to the customer. The inner gate is closed in step 340 and the front door is open in step 342. The bands 62 and 6 are then urged to move the stack of stem towards the front to present it to the customer in step 344. A determination is made in the step 346 of whether the client has taken the escrow This is based upon signals from the sensors 148 and 158. If the escrow is perceived as being taken the magic returns to the main ATM transaction sequence in step 348.

If the client does not take the stack, the step is executed to encourage the client to take the stack, or to retract it to the magna. If the stack is not perceived as taken in step 346, the client is encouraged through the interconnection of the magic to a step 358 to take the stack. If the stack is now perceived as having been taken, a step 352 returns the magic to the main sequence. In the event that however the stack has not yet been taken, the transaction flow continues through steps 354 and 356 in which the stack is retrieved and stored and an irregular transaction is noted. This can occur for example by retracting the stack inside the machine by closing the door and then passing the stack through the central transport to one of the storage areas.

The alternate forms of the invention may be provided to accredit the customer's account by quantity which they have indicated they wish to be returned but not taken. If the machine is programmed to operate in this way the documents in the escrow pile will be stored according to their type and denomination in the various storage areas in the recycling cans. In this case the control system operates to credit the amount to the customer for a deposit. This can be done through the control system which updates the account data stored in the memory in the machine and / or by exchanging transaction messages with a remote computer system which tracks the debit card transactions or of credit.

Alternatively, the documents retracted in the escrow stack can be stored separately in one of the storage areas. The machine can be programmed to allow the customer to return at a later time and get the documents in the escrow stack. This can be valuable as an example if the client forgets to take the escrow or if he is distracted while carrying out his transaction. The memory of the machine or other connected transaction systems can store an incomplete transaction record. The next time the customer accesses the machine this can be notified of the fact that there was an incomplete transaction. The interconnection can be used to notify the client of the incomplete transaction and encourage him to complete it, it would reverse other options in relation to the transaction. The user can then enter transactions to complete or otherwise close the transaction. This feature may limit the client's options to complete the transaction to the particular machine where the incomplete transaction occurred. Alternatively, when the incomplete transaction record is stored in the transaction system memory, which can be connected to many machines, the client You may be allowed to complete the transaction on a different machine.

In most cases when a customer has deposited documents in the machine, these clients will choose to have the funds credited to their account. As a result of this, in the transaction flow in step 338 the clients will indicate through the customer interconnection that they wish to make a deposit. The transaction flow is moved through a step 358 in which the machine is put into the deposit mode. Then the stack stack 276 is moved to the unstacked area d in step 360. This is done in the previously described manner for the deposited stack.

As shown schematically in Figure 35 the stack stack will now not be stacked in the previously discussed manner. However, now instead of the unstacked bills that are directed by the deviation gate 90 to the escrow area and to the delivery / rejection area, the bills are selectively directed to the other area in the magic as shown, to the various storage areas in the recycling d cans. During this operation each of the unstacked bills is again classified and identified by the bill identification apparatus 88. The identification of the type of banknotes is used to selectively direct each document to a storage area where the documents of that type are stored. . It should be understood that the memory connected to the machine control system is preferably programmed to record the type of document held in the plic pile and to compare the determination of type of document made in the initial pass with the type determination made in the last second In the event of an error or inconsistency, the deviation gate 90 may be used to direct any irregular documents to the delivery / reject area 60 instead of moving them down to a place in the storage on the machine, or the move them to another selected storage location.

As can be seen with the transaction flow beginning at step 358 in Figure 67, the plic pile undergoes the unstacked process previously described in relation to steps 184, 196 and 204. Each note is also stretched centered relative to the transport path and then release.

The ticket goes through the analysis discussed in connection with step 278, and if the ticket is not properly identified in step 280, the transaction flow moves to step 262 when the machine is in deposit mode. In step 262 each note is dispatched to an appropriate storage location. The notes are moved through this central part in the direction of the arrows "D shown in Figure 35. Each note is then directed to an appropriate storage place in a step 264. It should be noted that the notes are moving concurrently to different places. of storage under the control of control system Figure 35 shows an example of a billet being deposited in a storage area 102. It should be understood, however, that bills can be moved in numerous storage areas during the storage process. .

The notes in the stack 276 continue to be unstacked until the stack is determined to have run out in step 266. Assuming no notes have been rejected during the deposit process, the transaction flow can then be returned to the transaction sequence. Main AT in a step 268. The control system operates to modify the information in the memory and / or to communicate messages with a remote debit credit card processing system to credit the customer's account for the deposit. The customer can be provided with a deposit receipt and can continue with other transactions.

In the operation of the central transport 70 there are places in which the bills in movement must suffer generally 180 degrees turns. An example of this is indicated by the transport section 370 which is shown in Figure 35 which includes a tumbling device. In the transport section 370, the documents that must be aligned in the transport path have had their inverted address so that they can pass to one side of the identification device 88. The transport section 370 requires that the tickets be transported in a transported manner. exact and keep the relationship aligned and spaced. The documents are also preferably not wrinkled or otherwise distorted, as this may adversely impact your ability to be identified in the next section. More details in relation to transport section 370 are shown in Figures 36 38.

The tumbling device in the transport section 370 includes a plurality of strips 372. These strips in the preferred embodiment are V-type strips that engage the impeller and slack rollers 374, 376 and 378. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the section transverse VN of the bands 372 is pointed radially inwardly to pass the band the rollers 374, 376 and 378.

As the belts 372 move between the rollers 37 and 376 they are supported on the carriage rollers 380. The carriage rollers 380 hold the belt in a manner so that the "V" section is pointed outwardly from the carriage rollers. An upper planar surface of each band is positioned on one side of an annular dimple 382 on the outer circumference of each carriage. The carriage rollers 380 are also spaced from one another. The guides 38 which generally have a somewhat smaller diameter than the carriage rollers are placed between them. An example of a guide 364 is shown in greater detail in Figure 37.

When a ticket 386 passes through the transport section 370 these are retained from the flat surfaces of the band 372 and the dimples 382 of the carriage rollers com are shown in Figure 38. The bills move around the rollers of carriage without being biased or distorted When the bills are passed to the area adjacent the roller 37 the projections 388 on the guides push the bill out of contact with the carriage rollers and in the desired direction.

This configuration is used in a preferred embodiment of the invention since it has been found that tickets can be generally transported through the transport section 370 without adversely impacting their aligned and separate relationship. The ability to flip the banknote path 180 degrees also greatly reduces the overall size of the automated banking machine.

As shown in Figure 35, the tickets which are passed through the central transport 70, and which are moved to the storage areas within the magna, pass down through the central transport through the remote transport segments. 108, 110, 112 and 114 These remote transport segments operate as part of a remote transport. The remote transport segments are vertically aligned in the preferred embodiments to allow documents to be selectively transported between transport segments. The transport segment also allows the documents to be selectively addressed either through the transport segments in or out of the adjacent bot transports, one of which is placed on the side of each transport segment. The selective direction of the documents is achieved through the use of a middle door associated with each transport segment which is operated under the control of control system 30.

An example of a transport segment used in the preferred embodiment of the invention is indicated by the transport segment 110 shown in Figure 39. The transport segment 110 includes a plurality of spaced web support rollers 390 and 392. The rollers they are driven by or impeller in operative connection with the control system. One of the rollers supports a band 394 on them (see Figure 44). An inner vane 396 of each strip 394 s extends generally in a first plane and is placed beside a first sheet support surface 398 and a second sheet support surface 400. The sheet support surfaces each include a plurality of raised and spaced projections or dimples on them. This high projection serves to break the surface tension and minimize the risk of documents sticking there.

The principles of operation of the transport segment 110 as well as the transport of can used in the preferred embodiment, can be seen with reference to Figures 45 and 46. The transports operate to hold the documents in an engaged relationship between an outer surface of a band vane and the elongated projections which extend to the band vane from a supporting surface. opposite adjacent. In the example shown in Figur 45, the band vanes 402 extend to one side of an opposite support surface 404. The projections 406 s extend transversely between the band vanes from the support surface. A document 408 which is engaged between the band vanes and the supporting surface and pressed and deformed by the projections 406 to remain engaged with the band vanes. As a result of this, the documents move with the band palettes. This allows the movement of the band vanes to move exactly document 408 in a relationship therewith.

Returning to Figure 39, the projections 410 s extend from the first sheet support surface 398. The projections 410 are generally segmented projections include tapered front and tail edges to minimize the risk of documents being caught in them. The slack rolls 412 and 416 are also screwed on and in a support connection with the member including a blade support surface 398. The slack rolls 412 and 416 serve as moving members and are generally placed in an aligned relationship with the pallets. interiors 396 and carry out a function which will be explained later.

Each remote transport segment has a boat transport adjacent to it which finds the transport segment in an intersection. In the case of transport segment 110, can transport 126 extends adjacent to it as shown in Figure 1. Transport d can 126 includes the pairs of spaced band support rollers 418, only one of which is shown in Figur 39. The rollers 418 are driven by an impeller in operative connection with the control system. The rollers 418 hold the webs 420 which include the lower pallets 422. The lower pallets 422 generally extend in a plan and further extend to a side of a support surface 42 which includes the dimpled projections thereon. previously discussed type. The projections 426 extend from the support surface 424 between the bands and are generally parallel thereto. This structure allows the documents to be transported in a relationship hooked between the projections 426 and the band vanes 422 previously described. A transition surface 423 provides a smooth transition between the support surface 398 and the support surface 424 through the intersection 1 which is generally indicated with the number 421.

As shown in Figure 44, the rollers 41 of the can carriers and the rollers 390 of the remote transport segments are arranged in a transversely intermediate relationship, similar to the manner in which the projections on the supporting surface are placed transversely in the middle of the band vanes. This ensures that the documents can be passed between the transportation segments in a controlled relationship in the manner described herein. The rollers 418 extend through the plane of the prime transport segment as to impart a wave configuration to the documents moved between the 390 rolls and rolls 418.

Each wine from the remote transportation segments includes a fourth media which is selectively operable to direct the documents in the desired directions. A medium port is placed at an intersection facing the boat transport with the remote transport. In the case of the transport segment 110 the middle door associated with it is the gate 118. The door 118 includes a plurality of movable arms 428.

The arms are engaged to move together by an impulse in an operative connection with the control system and are selectively movable about an axis of the rollers 390.

Each arm 428 has a roller 430 movably mounted thereon. Each roller 430 which serves as a diverter member is placed in alignment with a corresponding inner band paddle 396.

The operation of the remote segment and the middle gate will now be explained with reference to Figures 39-43. Com was shown in Figure 39, when the diverter roller 430 of the door 118 is positioned from the band vanes 396, or document 432 is enabled to pass along a first direction directly through the remote transport segment. Even though document 432 is shown as facing upwards in Figure 39, it should be understood that the documents can be moved downwards as well as in response to the control system and to the impeller which moves the rollers 390 392 in a selected rotational direction. Documents in a similar way can be moved down and then pass up in the remote transport segment.

Figure 40 shows a document 434 that moved in a downward direction while the deviated roller 430 of the door 118 is extended. In this condition the diverter rod extends in both the plane of the trajectory of hij and the segment of the remote transport and the plane of movement of the transport sheet of the can. The document 434 is directed to the pressure point created by the web blades 422 and the projections 426 of the can transport 126. As a result of this, the movement of the web blades 420 in the direction shown with the impeller associated with the The door is actuated by transferring the document inside a boat transport path along which it is carried by the boat transport. As can be seen from Figure 40, when the door 11 is driven and moved to the position to direct the documents to and from the can transport the web pallet 396 is deformed. Loose roll 416 holds the band vane in the deformed position to avoid excessive wear as a result of friction.

Figure 41 shows the document 436 being moved from the can transport to the remote transport segment 110. In the position shown the med gate 118 operates to direct the document 436 towards the remote transport segment 108 placed above the transport section. remote transport 110 (see Figure 35) and towards the central transport.

Figure 42 shows the gate 118 in a condition that directs a document 438 from the transport of bot 126 downward in the remote transport segment 110. As will be appreciated from the discussion above, the preferred embodiment of the invention allows the movement of the documents from one storage area to another. This function is enabled by the machine control system that moves the documents from the storage areas in cans where they have been stored to the storage areas in cans either up or down the storage canister on the machine.

Figure 43 shows a document 440 moving upward in the remote transport segment 110 and being directed by the gate 118 inside the bot transport 126. The ability to move the documents in the manner shown in Figures 39- 43 in response to the control system greatly facilitates the ability of the preferred embodiment of the present invention to store and retrieve documents. As will be appreciated from the previous Figures, the door mechanisms can also be used to selectively target the documents. This may be desirable, particularly when you want to provide customers with documents oriented evenly in a stack. This can be achieved by reorienting the documents prior to storage based on the orientation of each document as determined by the identification device 88. However, as discussed previously the incorporation of the present invention shown requires that the documents be oriented to No particular way for a satisfactory operation.

The storage of the documents in a storage location will now be described with reference to Figures 47-53. For the purposes of this illustration, a storage of a document in the storage area 102, as shown in Figure 35, will be discussed. However, it should be understood that the following description is generally applicable to storage of documents in any of the storage areas available in the preferred embodiment machine.

Referring to Figure 47, the storage area 102 is shown from the top. The band vanes 422 of the can transport 26 extend and transport path above a coffer door 442. The coffer door 442 is movably mounted in a support connection with the can above the storage area 102. The coffer door 442 includes a support surface 44 which supports bills or other documents that are moved thereon and from the adjacent storage areas. The support surface 444 included projections with holes which serve to reduce the surface tension and the adherence of the documents moving thereon.

The hood door 442 includes the outwardly extending projections 446 which are transversely adjacent and generally parallel to the band vanes. The projections engage the passing documents keep the documents in engagement with the bands 422. A pa of openings or perforations 448 are in a relationship generally aligned with the projections 446. The openings 448 provide access for the kicking wheels which will be discussed. subsequently and which serve as members of the sheet hook. As can be seen in Figure 47 the projections 446 are tapered to one side of the openings 44 to minimize the risk of the documents sticking thereto. The coffer door 442 also includes a plurality of loose rollers 450. The rollers 450 are placed in vin * aligned relation with the bands 422. The rollers 450 engage the strips and facilitate the movement of the strips when the coffer door 442 is open to accept a document in a manner that is described later.

The hood door 442 also includes a central opening 452. The opening 452 is sized to accept a pair of closely spaced striker wheels there. The central hitting wheels 454 are similar in construction to the outer hitting wheels 456 which extend through the openings 448. The center opening 452 is also sized to accept the supply wheels 458 and 460 which serve as the engaging members of the sheet and which are placed on one side of the front of the hood door 442 covering the storage area 102. The supply wheels ^ 458 and 460 are connected to the hitting wheels 454 by a supply band 462 which served as a supply member.

It should be understood that the kicker wheels 454 456 as well as the supply wheels 458 and 460 are supported on a surface positioned on one side of and vertically upward from the hood door 442. The supply wheels and the hitting wheels are preferably supported on the machine box, while the storage area 102 and the box door 442 are supported on the recycling can 94. The recycling can can be removed from the machine when the supply wheels and the hitting wheels are positioned that these do not extend through the boat 452.

The coffer door 442 also includes a sensor 464 which serves as a sheet thickness detector. The sensor 464 in the form of the invention is an optical receiver type sensor that receives signals from an opto-transmitting device which is placed in the machine on one side of and above the sensor 45 when the can 94 is in an operative position. The sensor 46 is in connection with the control circuit of the machine. Other types of detectors, such as contact or non-contact detectors, may be used in other embodiments.

The steps involved in storing a ticket in a storage area 102 will now be described with reference to Figures 48-53. The storage area 10 retains a stack 466 that includes a plurality of sheets, bills or other documents. The stack 466 is preferably a plurality of horizontally oriented documents which are supported on a thrust plate 468. The thrust plate 468 is pressed up towards the coffer door by a spring shown schematically at number 467, or other pressing mechanism. . The stack is held at its upper end by a plurality of transversely spaced front fingers 470 and rear fingers 472 which engage the top sheet joining the stack to one side of the chest door. The front fingers and the rear fingers are movable by a mechanism in the manner that will be discussed hereafter. The mechanism includes an impeller that includes a rotational or linear motor tip device and a suitable transmission mechanism in operative connection with the control system.

The hood door 442 includes an interior surface 474 which includes a plurality of projections extending downwardly with the recesses therebetween. In the position of the fingers 470 and 472, the side projections 476 and 468 on one side of the upper ends of the fingers 470 and 472 respectively, extend above the pil and move in the recesses of the inner surface of the door of the chest. These inwardly extending projections 47 and 478 of fingers 470 and 472 hold the top of the stack in a relationship captured in the positions shown in Figure 48.

In Figure 48 a document 480 is shown to move it towards the storage area 402. In this position before the arrival of the document, the supply wheels and the hitting wheels are placed above the support surface 444 of the coffer door . The withdrawal wheels 482 which are movably mounted on the edge 94, which includes the storage area 102, are moved by a driver or other movement mechanism in an operative connection with the control system to a position placed outside the supply wheels 458 and 460.

With the arrival of the document 480 to the storage area 102 the coffer door 442 which is rotationally mounted on the canister at the rear thereof elevates upwards and a front area adjacent to the front surface thereof. The withdrawal rollers 482 move up the mechanism while the supply wheels 458 460 which are rotated by an impeller engage and move the document in the storage area 102. The fingers 470 and 47 also hold and move the top surface of the pil down in relation to the door against the presser foot which is applied upwards by the push plate 478. This allows the document 480 to move inside the storage area above the projections towards the inside of the fingers .

Figure 50 shows the configuration of the supply wheels and withdrawal wheels as the document 480 is moved within the storage area. In this condition the rotating supply wheels 458 and 460 engage the document 480 as the withdrawal wheels 482 do, so that the document can be driven to the storage area. As shown in Figure 50, a stripping rod 484, the operation of which is discussed below in detail, remains positioned away from the supply web 462 upon entry of the document 480 into the storage area.

As shown in Figure 51 the document 48 enters the storage area 102 above the stack 466. The fingers 470 and 472 are then moved outward as shown in Figure 51. This is done by a mechanism the interconnects Operationally the fingers and move these together in a coordinated relationship in response to the signals of the control system.

As shown in Figure 52, eventually the fingers 470 and 472 are moved outward by a sufficient distance to release the stack 466 so that it moves upward in response to the pressing force on the push plate 468. As a As a result of this, the document 480 is integrated into the stack when the coffer door 442 is moved down to its original position by the associated movement mechanism. When the chest door is moved downwards the inwardly extending projections on the fingers 47 and 470 are in an aligned relationship with the recesses on the inner surface of the chest door and the fingers extend there.

From the positions shown in Figure 52 fingers 470 and 472 are moved inward by the finger movement mechanism to again capture the top surface of the stack which now includes document 480. The withdrawal wheels 482 are again they retract downward by the operation of a mechanism associated therewith and the storage area 10 is again ready to receive additional documents for storage there.

As will be appreciated from the above discussion, mechanisms such as those shown and discussed are used to move the chest door fingers, wheels and other devices that respond to the control system. These mechanisms may include linear or rotational motors other mechanisms, transmissions and articulations suitable for use in the movement of the components in the manner described. Such components are mentioned in the drawings as the impellers 68 to promote clarity and facilitate and understand the operation. of the invention. Any suitable device or mechanism for achieving the type movement shown or described for the components can be used in the embodiments of the invention.

It should be understood that when one or more documents are directed to a storage place in the machine, the storage place where the particular document or document is to be stored undergoes the series of steps described. Even though the series of operations for the storage place has been described as receiving the documents after integrating them into the stack in the place of storage or document at the same time, it should be understood that the mechanisms in the storage areas can be optimally configured that a plurality of documents can be collected in the storage area above the fingers and then the fingers and the chest door moved to integrate the plurality of documents into the stack. Such configuration can be used to optimize the speed of operation of the automated banking machine. It should further be understood that while the mechanisms for storing documents in the storage areas are exemplary, other mechanisms which store such documents may be used in alternate embodiments of the invention. Such mechanisms may specifically include devices which include only one or other numbers of mobile member configurations to hold and release the stack of documents at the storage location.

The operation of the machine 10 is described herein in relation to a transaction in which the documents are recovered from the storage areas in the machine and are supplied to a customer or operator of the banking machine. This is shown schematically in Figure 54. In the assortment operation, the documents will generally be removed from a plurality of storage locations and will move concurrently under the control of the control system 30 to escrow area 66. As schematically shown in FIG. Figur 54, each wine of the documents removed from the storage area moves from the respective canister transport to the adjacent remote transport segment and is directed up the door to the central transport. In the central transport the documents each pass through the identification device 88. The type and character of the document is again determined before being supplied to the customer. The flow of documents during this assortment operation (document retrieval) is represented by the HEH arrows in Figure 54. From this it can be seen from the previous discussion whether in any time in the processing of documents which will be provided to the document. client, there is an unidentifiable improper document, this has been directed to the delivery / rejection area 60 for reprocessing or return inside the machine.

The retrieval of the documents from a storage area is represented by the sequence of operations shown in Figures 55-61 in relation to the storage area 102. For purposes of clarity and simplicity of document 480, which was previously deposited in the upper part of stack 466, will be supplied in this sequence d example of events.

As shown in Figure 55 in the initial position of the storage area 102, the chest door 44 is positioned downwardly by its associated mechanism. The inward projections of the fingers 470 and 472 extend the recesses in the inner surface 474 of the coffer door. The fingers together with the inner surface of the cofr door retain the upper part of the stack which is attached by the lid. 480. The stack 466 is pressed upward by the spring action of the thrust plate 468.

In the next step in the assortment of the document the fingers 470 and 472 are moved outwards in relation to the stack by its mechanism that responds to the signals of the control system. This allows the document 480 on the upper surface of the stack 466 to be engaged with the projections which join the inner surface 474 of the coffer door 442.

As shown immediately in Figure 57 e front of the coffer door 442 is moved upwards by its mechanism. The withdrawal wheels 482 are moved upward to engage the supply wheels 458 and 460 (see Fig. 59). Similarly, the stripping roll 484 is moved by its associated movement mechanism in an upward direction as shown in the drawing to engage the supply band 462.

It should be noted with reference to Figure 59 that the supply wheel 460 includes an inner part which has a can segment 486 thereon. The high friction segment 486 comprises a band of elastic material extending radially outwardly beyond other portions of the outer circumference of the supply wheel and in part circumferentially around the inside of the wheel. The supply wheel 458 has a similar high friction segment 488 thereon. The high friction segments extend through the openings in the chest door to provide a grip contact with the upper document of the stack when the supply wheels are positioned to place the high friction segments in contact with the upper document. .

It should also be understood that the stripping rod 484 includes a one-way clutch type mechanism. This vina via clutch mechanism allows the unrolling roller to rotate in a manner which allows a document to move easily inside the storage area 102. The clutch associated with a stripping roller 484 is oriented to receive the movement of the documents outside. of the storage area. In this manner, the stripping roll 484 served as a stripping device which generally engages only the single document in the very top portion of the stack undresses or prevents other documents from moving out of the storage area. This is achieved because the high friction segment provides a greater force which moves the single document in a first direction out of the storage area than the resistance applied to the document by the stripping roll. However other documents that tend to move with the first document are separated.

As also shown in Figures 57 and 59, the kicking wheels 454 and 456 include a part extending outwardly. These portions extending outwardly are preferably and generally aligned at an angle are moved by a drive mechanism so that all the extending parts extend through the respective opening in the chest door simultaneously. As shown in Figure 59, these extending portions are generally in angular alignment with the high friction segments arched over the supply wheels and similarly serve as engagement members to engage and move the top document in the stack.

As shown in Figure 58 for picking up the document, the supply wheels and the kick wheels are rotated so that the radially extending portions of the hitting wheels and the friction segments extending radially outwardly from the supply wheels engage the document 480 in the upper part of the stack 466. The action of the hitting wheels, of the supply wheel, of the withdrawal wheels and of the stripping roller operate to separate a document 480 from the stack and move it in a first direction from the storage area as shown in Figure 58. The preferred embodiment of the apparatus is generally designed in a manner that a single rotation of the supply wheels and the blow wheels is enough to move a document from the storage area. Once the document is moved from the storage area, it engages the bands and projections on the adjacent coffer door or transport part and moves them in contact therewith. The hood door 442 is moved again and the removal wheels and the stripping roller are moved by their associated mechanisms so that they retract from the can. The fingers 470 and 472 are moved upwards and inwards to reattach the top of the stack.

When the document 480 is moved from the storage area 102, the transmission of the light through the document is perceived. The transmission of the light through the document is perceived by a sensor 490. The sensor 490 is preferably a receiver similar to the sensor 464 and is placed on a chest door or other structure that covers the storage area or otherwise in the first address from the storage area 102. The emitter 492 mounted on the machine emits enough light so that it can be determined whether a note or double bill has been removed from the stack.

The emitter 492 and the sensor 490 are connected to the control system which is programmed to recognize when a double document has been collected from the storage area. This is preferably done by determining whether the thickness of a collected sheet is above a predetermined thickness . The magic can operate in a number of ways depending on the programming of the control system to deal with this occurrence. If the document has been completely removed from the stack, the document can be returned to the address and placed back on the stack. Then an attempt is made to again remove it. Alternatively, in a second attempted collection operation the supply wheels can be swung back and forth as the bill is being collected to provide the possibility of two bills being removed together. This can be done automatically by the control system in some conditions where the documents are known because they have a particularly high affinity or a high tension surface which makes them difficult to separate.

Finally, in the event that repeated attempts to collect a single ticket from the storage area are fail, the machine can operate to direct the collected document (s) to another storage area or to the trash area 132. The magna can then proceed to pick up the next banknote. The programming of the magic 1 is preferably established to minimize the associated delay when a collection problem is encountered.

After the document 480 has been successfully removed from the storage area 102 it is transported to the remote transport segment 110 and is directed by the gate 118 to the central transport. The document 480 together with other documents passes the identification device 88 e which confirms the identity of each document. The documents are deposited in the land area 66 where a stack of land 49 is accumulated. Then as schematically depicted in FIG. 62, the landslide area 494 is moved upward in the input / output area 50 of the machine. The door 54 is opened and the stack is delivered to the customer through the opening 52.

The transaction flow executed by the control system to carry out the operations of the magic in a withdrawal transaction is presented in Figures 69 and 70 As is the case with the deposit transaction, the first one goes through a The client identification sequence represented by a step 134 in which the client gu operates the machine is identified to resolve his account data. This sequence of customer identification is not usually executed again when the customer has operated the machine to carry out a transaction immediately before the customer account data has been resolved and is available in the machine's memory. After the clients have identified themselves, the machine v through the transaction sequence of the main ATM 136 as previously discussed.

Clients immediately indicate in a step 496 through the interconnection of clients that they wish to carry out a withdrawal transaction. The withdrawal amount then received by the machine based on the customer entries in a step 498. In a step 500 the machine operates to determine whether the withdrawal amount that the customer has requested is authorized by the programming of the machine and / The programming of a computer of a processing system of credit transaction or remote debit which is e communication with the magic through a telephone link, a radio link, a ready line or other suitable communication means. If the withdrawal is not authorized, the machine returns to the main sequence and provides instructions to the clients.

If the withdrawal amount is authorized, the control system of the machine sees the storage locations of various denominations of banknotes in step 502 and calculates that a mixture of banknotes can be provided to the customer on p 504. It should be noted that in some incorporations of invention which is intended to be used primarily by commercial customers, these clients may be allowed to select the mix of denominations of tickets that the customer will receive. This is done by the control system using programmed drives displayed on the client interconnection. The customer is provided with tickets through customer interconnection which indicate the amount of c type of tickets they want. However, if the machine provides that option or the customer does not want a specific denomination selection, the machine will operate to determine the number of the various types of tickets that are available to provide the tickets to the customer in the denominations will minimize the probability that the machine will There are bills of a particular type.

The machine then continues at a step 506 in which the control system operates to collect bills from the various storage areas. As indicated by the phantom p 508, collection operations are concurrently executed in the preferred embodiment of the invention. Multiple banknotes can be collected from the various storage sites and can be moved as a stream of billet separated through the segments of storage. remote transport and you have the central transport of the machine.

For each collection operation, after the ticket is collected a step 510 is carried out to perceive the double tickets that have been collected from a storage place. If a double is perceived in step 512 the ticket is retracted to step 514 and an effort is made again to collect a single ticket. However, if in step 512 s receives a single ticket the ticket is released in step 516 In step 516 the ticket is released in a coordinated relationship with the other tickets by the control system to ensure that each ticket arrives at the transport machine central in a relationship spaced by the other bills. However, the spacing is such that the bills move concurrently and are delivered at the escrow location at high speed.

An analysis of each passing ticket is made by the identification device 88 which is indicated in step 518. If the bill is recognized as suitable in a country 520, the bill is directed to the land area 66 in a step 522 the ticket is not recognized in step 520 or is unfit, it is directed to the reject / delivery area 60 in a step 524, or another area designated in the programming of the magic. Failure to identify a ticket which comes from a storage location is an unusual event. This is because the stored ticket has usually been identified twice before. Problems may arise when the ticket was loaded into the boat outside the machine. If a bill is rejected, transaction flow from the described incorporation continues to error recovery step 526. This error recovery program may include directing the ticket back through the central transport to a designated storage location for an analysis later.

The tickets are delivered to the escrow area so that all tickets which respond to the customer's withdrawal request have been delivered. Upon completion of the delivery, verify this in step 528. A check is made in step 530 to determine if all the tickets that have been delivered have been properly identified. If it has not been and there are bills in the rejection area, the error recovery step 526 is executed.

However, if the bills have been properly identified the stack stack corresponding to the stack 494 and Figure 62 moves to the delivery position in a step 532 which aligns the escrow area with the opening in the box. The inner door is then closed in a passage 534. The front door is opened in a passage 536 and the transport bands move to deliver the bills to the customer in a step 538.

In a step 540, a determination is made based on the reading of the sensors 148 and 150 to determine whether the stack of bills has been taken by the customer. If this is the case, close the front door in step 542. The control system then operates to have the withdrawal loaded to the client's account in the memory of the machine and / or in a remote transaction processing system memory. The transaction flow then returns to the main automatic cash machine sequence in step 544.

However, if the bills are not taken by the customers, the routines can be executed to encourage the customer through the customer interconnection to remove the tickets. However, if the client does not collect the tickets, then the 546 is executed to retract the bills inside the machine The front door is closed in a step 548 and the machine then continues to the error recovery routine. This may include, for example, storing the tickets in a particular storage location. Alternatively, this may involve reversing the withdrawal transaction requested by the customer and placing the tickets back in the various storage areas by running them through central transportation. As previously discussed, a record of the incomplete transaction by the customer can be stored in the computer or elsewhere in a computer system operatively connected so that the customer can complete the transaction when the latter subsequently has access to the machine or another machine. connected to the system.

An advantage of the preferred embodiment of the present invention is the ability to operate at high speeds. This is achieved through the control system architecture 30 which is schematically represented in Figure 63. The preferred embodiment of the system uses a control system which includes a terminal processor 548. The terminal processor contains the general programming of the system. machine as well as the necessary programs for the operation of the functions of communication with other systems and other functions that the machine carries out. As indicated in FIG. 63, the terminal processor 548 is in operative connection with the stored data including the programmed instructions and data. The terminal processor 548 is in communication through the appropriate interconnections with the various devices of the 550 computer machines.

The terminal processor 548 is also in an operational communication with a processor module 552. The module processor 552 orchestrates the operations carried out by the module driver mode 554, 556, 558 560, 562 and 564. As indicated, the Module processor 55 is also in operative connection with its own respective data, which retain its programmed instructions and data. Similarly, each of the controllers of the module preferably includes the storage of data in order to retain several instructions and programmed data. The module processing 552 is operatively connected to each of the module controllers via a data 566. The module controllers, each communicate through the data bu, only with the module processor 552, and the module processing communicates directly with each module controller. Each module controller has associated with it the computer apparatus devices indicated with number 567. Each module controller has associated with it its own respective types of computer machine devices, which are responsible for the operation and control.

In the operation of the system, each controller of the module operates programs to execute particular tasks associated with each device of the computer apparatus that is connected to it. This can be, for example, a particular function associated with moving a mechanism or a document. These tasks are coordinated in the areas executed through the module controller in relation to the computer devices. The movement of the document concurrently, however, is coordinated by the processor to module 552 which operates to send the control signals to the various module controllers, so that the document handling functions carried out in a chronized and coordinated relationship. The processor terminates 548 controls the operation of the module processor to carry out the particular transactions, which are indicated by the terminal programming. As a result of this configuration, the documents are enabled to be handled concurrently, but independently through the machine, which greatly accelerates the document recovery storage operation.

Therefore, the preferred embodiment of the present invention achieves the above stated objectives, eliminates the difficulties encountered in the use of the devices, systems and previous methods, and achieves the desired results described herein.

In the foregoing description, certain terms have been used for brevity, clarity and understanding, however, unnecessary limitations of the same should not be implied, because such terms are used to describe the purposes and are intended to be considered broadly. The above descriptions and the illustrations are by way of example and the invention should not be limited to the details shown or described.

In the following claims, any characteristic described as means for performing the function should be considered as encompassing any means capable of carrying out the recited function and should not be limited to the means shown and described in the previous description as carrying out the functions recited or equivalent number thereof.

Having described the characteristics, discoveries or principles of the invention, the manner in which it is constructed and operated and the new and useful results achieved; The new and useful devices structures, devices, elements, arrangements, parts combinations, systems, operations, methods and relationships are set forth in the appended claims.

Claims (77)

R E I V I N D I C A C I O N S

1. An automated banking machine apparatus comprising: a box that includes at least one opening therethrough; a document handling mechanism placed in the box; wherein the document handling mechanism is in operative connection with the opening, and wherein the document handling mechanism is adapted to receive a pil including a plurality of documents passing through the opening; a document identification device within the box wherein the document identification device operates to classify each document in a stack received by the document handling mechanism, whether it is acceptable or unacceptable; Y a steering mechanism in operative connection with the identification device where the identification mechanism is operative to direct the documents classified by the identification device, acceptable to a first area within the box, and the documents classified by the densification device. vma unacceptable to second area of the box.

2. The apparatus as claimed in clause 1, characterized by the document handling mechanism includes a first area, and wherein the document handling mechanism operates to deliver documents classified as unacceptable outside the box through the document. opening.

3. The apparatus as claimed in clause 1, characterized in that the document handling mechanisms include the first area, the apparatus further comprises a user connection in operative connection with the document identification device, and wherein the interconnection d user operates to receive a user's withdrawal entry and where the document identification device operates in response to receiving the withdrawal entry to again classify each document in the first area and, whether it is acceptable and not acceptable, and in where the steering mechanism is operative to direct classified documents, unacceptable to the first area.

4. The apparatus as claimed in clause 1, further characterized in that it comprises: a user interconnection where user interconnection includes an output device; a control system in operative connection of the user interconnection, the document identification device and the document handling mechanism, wherein the control system operates to calculate a number, in which the number corresponds to documents acceptable from the stack addressed to the second area, and where the control system operates to make the output device of the user interconnection take out indications corresponding to number.

5. The apparatus as claimed in clause 4, characterized in that the user interconnection also includes an input device, and the machine includes a third area and a transport between the box in which the transport is in operative connection with the system. control and the second area, and where after the indications that correspond to the number are taken out by the output device the control system is operational in response to a first input to the input device to deliver the acceptable documents out of the box to through an opening in the box and operates in response to a second entry to the entry device to make acceptable documents move from the second area to the third transportation area.

6. The apparatus as claimed in clause 5, characterized in that the document handling mechanism includes the second area, and wherein the first area through which the acceptable documents are delivered afuer of the box in response to the second entry and the same aperture through which the stack is accepted.

7. The apparatus as claimed in clause 4, characterized in that the indications corresponding to number are representative of a value associated with the acceptable documents addressed to the second area.

8. The apparatus as claimed in clause 4, characterized in that the user interconnection further includes an input device, and further includes a third area within the box and a transport extending half of the second area of the third area and where the transport is in an operative connection with the control system, and where after the representative indications of the number are taken out by the output device, the control system is operative in response to an entry deposit for the input device causes acceptable documents to move from the second area to the third area through transport.

9. The apparatus as claimed in clause 1, characterized in that the control system is further operative in response to receipt of the deposit entry to cause the new identification device to classify each document moved from the second area to the other. third area, and where each document, which is newly classified as acceptable, is moved to the third area through transportation.

10. The apparatus as claimed in clause 9, characterized in that the control system operates to cause the documents to move from the second area to the third area and not to be classified again as acceptable that they are directed to the first area by the steering mechanism.

11. The apparatus as claimed in clause 8, characterized in that the interconnection of the user operates for an assortment entry, and wherein the control system operates in response to receipt of the assortment entry to remove the documents from the third. area to the second area through transportation.

12. The apparatus as claimed in clause 11, characterized in that the control system also operates in response to providing input to operate the document identification device to classify each document moved from the third area as either acceptable or unacceptable and the steering mechanism is operational in response to document identification device to direct if the documents determined to be unacceptable to the first area

13. The apparatus as claimed in clause 9, characterized in that the user interconnection operates to receive an assortment entry, and wherein the control system is operative in response to receipt of the assortment entry to move documents from the third area to the second area through transportation.

14. The apparatus as claimed in clause 13, characterized by the control system also operating in response to the assortment entry to operate the document identification device to classify each document moved from the third area as unacceptable and acceptable. the steering mechanism is operative in response to the document identification device to direct documents classified as unacceptable to the first area.

15. The apparatus as claimed in clause 8 and further characterized in that it comprises a can e wherein the canister is removably mounted in the box, and where the third area is on the can. >

16. The apparatus as claimed in clause 15, characterized in that the third area includes a plurality of cans, each canister is removably mounted on the box and wherein each canister includes at least one storage area and is configured to retain the documents there, and where the document identification and operative device to identify a type associated with each acceptable document and wherein the control system operates to selectively move each acceptable document in a storage area in response to the associated type with the particular acceptable document.

17. The apparatus as claimed in clause 15, characterized by the canister includes a first plurality of storage area thereon, where each storage area is configured to retain the documents there, wherein the document identification device operates to identify a type associated with an acceptable document, and wherein the control system operates to selectively move each acceptable document to a storage area corresponding to the type associated with the particular acceptable document.

18. The apparatus as claimed in clause 8, characterized in that the number representative of an amount associated with the acceptable documents, and wherein the input device is further operative to receive at least one identification entry corresponding to vma account and where the control system is also operative in response to the deposit entry and the identification entry to make the account be credited with the amount.

19. The apparatus as claimed in clause 5, further characterized in that it comprises a sensor adjacent to the first aperture, wherein the sensor is in an operative relationship with the control system and operates to perceive the removal of the documents from the first aperture. and where the control system is operative in response to perceiving the removal of acceptable documents through an opening to make acceptable documents move from the second area to the third area through transportation.

20. The apparatus as claimed in clause 19, characterized in that the number corresponds to an amount associated with the acceptable documents and wherein the interconnection of the user is also operative to receive the identification entry corresponding to an account, and where the The control system is also operative to answer the identification entry of the control system that moves the acceptable documents to the third area to make the account be credited with the amount.

21. The apparatus as claimed in clause 1, further characterized in that it comprises a non-stacked device placed operatively in the middle of the document handling mechanism and of the document identification device where the non-stacked device is operative to individually unstack each document of the pile.

22. The apparatus as claimed in clause 21, further characterized in that it comprises a central transport that extends operatively between the stacked device n and the document identification device in which the central transport is operative to move each document individually stacked to one side of the identification device.

23. The apparatus as claimed in clause 21, further characterized in that it comprises an operatively intermediate pulling device of the epilator device of the document identification device, wherein the stretching device is operative to angularly align each unstacked document.

24. The apparatus as claimed in l = ** clause 21, further characterized in that it comprises an alignment device operatively in between the unstacked device d and the document identification device, e where the alignment device is operative to transversely position each document unstacked

25. The apparatus as claimed in clause 1, characterized in that the apparatus further comprises v central transport and a remote transport, where the document identification device is on one side of central transport and where the document handling mechanism includes a first area and is operative to deliver the documents in the stack from the first area to the central transport, and where the second area is in operative connection with the remote transport, and where the documents of the pil are moved through the central transport to one side of the identification device, and wherein the steering mechanism is operative in response to the identification device to direct the acceptable documents to the second area through remote transport.

26. The apparatus as claimed in clause 25, further characterized by comprising a turning device in operative connection with the central transport, and wherein the turning device is operative to reverse the direction of the documents moving in the central transport.

27. The apparatus as claimed in clause 25, further characterized in that it comprises a device for unstacking documents in operative connection with the document handling device, wherein the document depilation device is operative to separate each individual document from the document. stack and produce vma separate and individual document streams in the central transport.

28. The apparatus as claimed in clause 27, further characterized in that it comprises a stretching device in operative connection with the central transport, e where the stretching device operates to angularly align each document in the stream in a parallel relationship with other documents operated by the stretching device.

29. The apparatus as claimed in clause 27, further characterized in that it comprises an alignment device in operative connection with the central transport, and wherein the alignment device is operative to transversely place each running document in a predetermined manner to a direction of movement of documents in l current.

30. The apparatus as claimed in clause 29, characterized in that the central transport includes a central transport line extending in the direction of movement and each document has a central line of document, wherein the alignment device is operative for usually place the central line of document of document in the stream in a relationship aligned with the line of transport center.

31. The apparatus as claimed in clause 25, characterized in that the steering mechanism comprises a deflectable gate movably, and where a first position of the deflection gate the documents of the stack are directed to the first area .

32. The apparatus as claimed in clause 25, characterized in that the third area comprises a plurality of document storage areas, and where the remote transport further comprises a plurality of media ports where the media doors are selectively operational to direct the documents to the storage areas.

33. The device as claimed in clause 1, characterized in that the document handling mechanism comprises: vm first stack support member and a second stack support member, wherein the first area is joined by the first and second stack support members; Y a lifting mechanism, wherein the lifting mechanism is operative to move relatively the first and second pile support members along a first direction, so that a stack accepted through the opening is weakened to hold maintained in an engaged intermediate relationship. between the first and second stack support members.

34. The apparatus as claimed in clause 33, characterized in that at least one of the first and second stack support members can be moved to a direction transverse to the first direction, and further comprises a first impeller, wherein the first The impeller is selectively operated to move a stack support member.

35. The apparatus as claimed in clause 33, characterized in that it further comprises a guide which extends in generally the first direction and wherein at least one of the first or second pile support members is movably mounted in a d support connection with the guide, wherein a stack support member can move in the first direction and wherein at least one of the stack support members can move relative to the guide in a direction transverse to the first direction , and further comprising a first impeller wherein the impeller is operated to selectively move a movable stack support member transversely in the transverse direction, and wherein the first device includes the first guide.

36. The apparatus as claimed in clause 35, characterized in that the first guide includes the first axis which extends generally in the first direction and the first guide is mounted rotatably movable in relation to the box around the first axis and in which the operation of the first impeller, the first guide rotates around the first axis.

37. The apparatus as claimed in clause 36, characterized in that the first driver is selectively operated to move the first guide in a first rotational direction or in an opposite direction, wherein the rotation of the first guide in the first rotational direction operative for moving a movable stack support member transversely in an inlet direction so that a pil in contact with the transversely movable member is movable towards the document identification device, and where the rotation of the first guide in the direction The rotational opposite operates to move a moving stack support member transversely in an exit direction, whereby a pil in contact with the transversely moving stack support member is moved towards the opening.

38. The apparatus as claimed in clause 37, characterized in that both first and second stack support members are movable in generally transverse direction and wherein both stack support members move in the input direction in response to the rotation of the first guide in the first direction of rotation and both of the first and second stack support members move in the exit direction in response to the rotation of the first guide in the opposite rotational direction.

39. The apparatus as claimed in clause 33, characterized in that the first and second pillow support members are offset from one another where the stack is in the first area, the first stack support member is enabled to move in a direction relative to the second stack support member beyond a point where the opposite side surface d of the first and second stack support members unite the first area in a generally parallel alignment.

40. The apparatus as claimed in clause 33, characterized in that the at least one of the first or second stack support surfaces includes a mobile band vane.

41. The apparatus as claimed in clause 33, characterized in that the lifting mechanism is selectively operated to move the first area to a relationship generally aligned with the opening.

42. The apparatus as claimed in clause 33, further characterized in that it comprises an outer door mounted in the movable manner relative to the box, wherein the outer door is selectively movable to open and close the opening, and a movable inner door mounted movably in relation to the box, the inner door is positioned between the first area and the document identification device, wherein the inner door is selectively operative to allow and prevent access between the first area and the document identification device , furthermore, comprises a control system in operative connection with the inner and outer doors wherein the control and operative system for making the inner door close when the outer door is open.

43. The apparatus as claimed in clause 33, characterized in that the document handling mechanism comprises: a third stack support member and a fourth stack support member wherein the second area is joined by the third and fourth stack support members; Y wherein the lifting mechanism operates to relatively move the third and fourth pillar support members generally the first direction, whereby the documents directed to the second area are enabled to be maintained in a hooked relationship between the third and third stack support members. fourth.

44. The apparatus as claimed in clause 43, characterized in that the mechanism is raised and selectively operated to move the second area to a relationship generally aligned with the opening in the box.

45. The apparatus as claimed in clause 44, further characterized in that it comprises a first guide extending generally the first direction e and where the third and fourth stack support members are in a movably supported connection with the first guide and movil in relation to the box, and wherein at least one of the third and fourth stack support members can move in a transverse direction generally transverse of the first direction, and wherein in one of the transversally movable third or fourth stack support members is operatively connected to the first guide, wherein the rotation of the first guide moves the third or fourth stack support member transversely movable in the transverse direction.

46. The apparatus as claimed in clause 45, further characterized in that it comprises a second guide positioned from the first guide and wherein the second guide is rotationally movable relative to the box, and wherein at least one of the members The first and second stack support bracket can move in the generally transverse direction relative to the first direction, and wherein the transversely movable first or second stack support members are operatively connected to the second guide, wherein the second rotation rotates. guide moves the first second stack support member movable transversely in a transverse direction.

47. The apparatus as claimed in clause 46, characterized in that both first, second, third and fourth stack support members are movable generally in the transverse direction, and wherein the first and second stack supporting members are both in operative connection with the second guide and moving in the transverse direction and reps to the rotation of the second guide, and wherein the third and fourth stack support members are both operatively connected to the first guide and move in the direction cross-section in response to the rotation of the first guide.

48. The apparatus as claimed in clause 47, characterized in that the first, second, third and fourth stack support members include the pallets d band which generally move first, second, third and fourth transverse respectively.

49. The apparatus as claimed in clause 43, further characterized in that it comprises a first carriage movable in generally a first direction, and wherein the stack support members, second and third are supported in connection with the first carriage.

50. The apparatus as claimed in clause 49, characterized in that the lifting mechanism operates to move the first carriage in generally the first direction by moving the battery support member in the first direction to operatively engage the battery support member. room with the carriage.

51. A method comprising the steps of: receiving a deposit stack comprising a plurality of documents through an aperture in the box of an automated banking machine; classify with a document identification device in the box, each document in the stack as either acceptable or unacceptable to the machine; Y direct with the management mechanism the classified documents where the unacceptable documents are directed to a first area in the box and the acceptable documents are directed to a second area in the box.

52. The method as claimed in clause 51, further characterized in that it comprises the step d removing the non-acceptable documents in the first area of the box.

53. The method as claimed in clause 52, characterized in that the step of removing non-acceptable documents is removed from the box through the opening.

54. The method as claimed in clause 51, further characterized in that it comprises the steps of: calculate with the control system the box or number corresponding to the documents addressed from the second area in the address step; Y take out indications that correspond to a number through an output device of an interconnection of the machine.

55. The method as claimed in clause 54, further characterized in that in the calculation step the number corresponds to a value of documents directed to the orange blossom to the second area.

56. The method as claimed in clause 54, further characterized in that it comprises the steps of enter either a first entry or a second entry to an input device of the client interconnection; and alternatively either: a) deliver the documents in the second area of the cashier when the first entry is received at the check-in step; or b) transport the documents in the second to a third area in the box in response to the second entry that is being received in the entry step.

57. The method as claimed in clause 56, characterized in that the transport step also includes classifying with the document classification device, each of the documents of the second storage area as being acceptable, are acceptable and pair direct In addition, documents classified as unacceptable are an additional classification step to the first area with the management mechanism.

58. The method as claimed in clause 56, characterized by the transport path comprises: identify a type associated with each document with the document identification device; Y selectively direct each document to the document storage areas in the third area, where the third area comprises a plurality of document storage areas and where each document is directed to selected storage areas and response to the type determined in step d specification, associated with the document.

59. The method as claimed in clause 58, further characterized in that it comprises the steps of: receive an account entry corresponding to an account through an interconnection entry device; Y credit the amount to an account that corresponds to the number.

60. The method as claimed in clause 54, further characterized in that it comprises the steps of enter either a first entry, a second entry or a third entry to a different entry into the client's interconnection; and alternatively either: a) deliver the documents in the first and second areas outside the box when the first entry is received in the entry step; or b) transporting the documents in the second area to a third area in the box when the second entry is received in the entry step; or c) repeat the sorting or calculation steps for the documents in the first and second areas when the third entry is received in the entry step.

61. The method as claimed in clause 51, further characterized by comprising step d identifying the type associated with each document with the identification device with the control system, a value associated with the documents classified as set forth in classification step.

62. The method as claimed in clause 61, further characterized in that it comprises the step of removing an output device on the interconnection of the machine indicia in representation of the value.

63. The method as claimed in clause 61, further characterized by comprising the steps of: again classifying the documents addressed to the first area in the address step with the document identification device; again direct classified documents as acceptable in the classification step back to the second area; Y additionally calculate with the control system a new value associated with the documents classified as acceptable in the steps d classification and classification again.

64. The method as claimed in clause 58, characterized in that before the entry step it also comprises the steps of: preliminarily identify a preliminary type associated with each document classified as acceptable in the classification step; Y Pre-store type data for a document in memory, and where the transport step also comprises the step of comparing preliminary for each document determined in step d preliminary identification with the type of document for the document determined in the explanation step.

65. The method as claimed in clause 64, characterized in that the documents are also selectively directed to the storage areas in the selective address steps in response to whether the preliminary type for the document corresponds to the comparison step in the comparison step. type of document for that document.

66. The method as claimed in clause 58, characterized by further comprising the step of storing in a memory associated with the data control system representative of a storage area wherein at least one document of a document type is stored.

67. The method as claimed in clause 66, further characterized by comprising the steps of: insert an interconnection entry, an assortment entry with a device; determine with the control system in response to the memory data a type of document corresponding to the sourcing entry; also determine with the control system in response to the memory data, a storage area where the type of document is stored; and collect a document of the type of storage area document with a collection mechanism.

68. The method as claimed in clause 67, further characterized in that it comprises the steps of re-identifying with the document identification device a type of document associated with the collected document; Y check with the control system whether the type d document for the document collected determined in the identification step corresponds to the type of document determined in the determinant country.

69. The method as claimed in clause 68, characterized in that when in the verification step, the type of document collected corresponds to a type of document determined in the determination step, it also comprises the step of delivering the document collected outside the home.

70. The method as claimed in clause 67, further characterized in that the picking step further comprises the steps of: perceive with a dbs detector if the document collected in the collection step is the single document; Y If in the step of perception the collected document is perceived not as a single document, it also includes the steps of: return the collected document to the storage area; Y Re-pick a document in the storage area.

71. The method as claimed in clause 51, characterized in that before the classification step it also comprises the step of unstacking the documents in the stack with a destapling device to produce a stream of separate documents wherein the classification step of each document in the current it is moved to one side of the identification device.

72. The method as claimed in Clause 71, further characterized in that the step of shaving before the sorting step is further comprised by the step d stretching with the stretching device each document in the current, wherein the step of stretching each of the documents in the stream is angularly aligned.

73. The method as claimed in clause 71, further characterized in that after the depilated step d and before the sorting step further comprises the step of aligning each of the documents in the stream with an aligning device.

74. The method as claimed in clause 73, further characterized in that the current moves on a transport path, where the transport path includes a center path line, and where each document in the stream has a center, and wherein in the alignment step the center of each document engaged with the aligning device is aligned so that the document center is generally on the central transportation line.

75. The method as claimed in clause 73, further characterized in that the depilating step and before the sorting step further comprises the step of flipping each document in the stream with a tumbling device.

76. The method as claimed in clause 51, characterized in that the machine includes an outer gate adjacent to the opening and an inner gate positioned in the middle of the first area and the document classification device, and before the receiving step further comprises The steps of: closing the inner door so that the inner door is operatively extended in the middle of the first area and the sorting device; Y open the outer door to allow the stack of documents to be moved through the opening.

77. The method as claimed in clause 76, further characterized in that after the reception step and before the classification step it also comprises the steps of: close the outer door to close the opening; Y Open the outer door. R 1 B U K I I An automated banking machine identifies documents such as money bills deposited such as a user. The machine then selectively retrieves such documents from storage and supplies them to other users. The machine includes a central transport in which the documents deposited in the stack are unstacked, oriented, identified. Such documents are then directed to the storage areas in the recycling bins. When a user subsequently requests an assortment, the documents stored in the storage areas are selectively taken from them and delivered to the user through an input / output area of the machine.