Banknote transport mechanisms and methods

A method of transporting banknotes along a transport path using a banknote transport mechanism comprising:

• adjusting a position of a plurality of low friction rails using a rail position adjustment wedge;
• and
• transporting, using a plurality of driven rollers extending into the transport path at or below the plurality of low friction rails, a banknote in a direction of banknote transport along the transport path, the plurality of low friction rails providing a counter force to create drive friction between the banknote and the plurality of driven rollers to push the banknote in the direction of banknote transport between the plurality of driven rollers and the plurality of low friction rails,
• wherein, due to the banknote contacting the plurality of driven rollers and the plurality of low friction rails, the banknote is corrugated in a lateral direction generally transverse to the direction of banknote transport while the banknote is generally flat in the direction of banknote transport at a plurality of lateral locations, and
• wherein each one of the plurality of low friction rails is disposed in the lateral direction generally transverse to the direction of banknote transport between two adjacent ones of the plurality of driven rollers.

A banknote transport mechanism comprising:

• a plurality of driven roller shafts spaced apart in a direction of banknote transport along a transport path, wherein a plurality of driven rollers is positioned on each of the plurality of driven roller shafts, wherein each of the plurality of driven roller shafts rotates about a respective driven roller axis;
• a plurality of low friction rails, each of the plurality of low friction rails including a distal surface and a longitudinal axis generally parallel to the direction of banknote transport;
• and
• a rail position adjustment mechanism,
• wherein the respective driven roller axis of each of the plurality of driven roller shafts is oriented generally perpendicular to the direction of banknote transport along the transport path,
• wherein the respective driven roller axis of each of the plurality of driven roller shafts generally lie in a first plane and the distal surface of each of the plurality of low friction rails generally lies in a second plane parallel to the first plane, wherein the rail position adjustment mechanism is operable to adjust a distance between the plurality of low friction rails and the plurality of driven roller shafts,
• wherein the plurality of driven rollers of each of the plurality of driven roller shafts is each offset laterally in a direction transverse to the direction of banknote transport from a lateral location of each of the plurality of low friction rails, and
• wherein the plurality of driven rollers cooperates with the plurality of low friction rails to transport a banknote in the direction of banknote transport with the banknote being corrugated in a direction generally transverse to the direction of banknote transport.