Apparatus and method for presenting both faces of a document for processing

An apparatus for presenting each of a first face and a second face of a document to a processing element to facilitate processing of the document thereby, the document being related to at least one transaction, the apparatus comprising:

• a receiver for receiving an acceptance signal indicating that the document is acceptable with respect to said at least one transaction, and if the document is unacceptable with respect to said at least one transaction, a rejection signal indicating that the document is unacceptable;
• a first transport subassembly for moving the document along a first document path from a front end to a back end of the first document path past the processing element to present the first face of the document to the processing element for processing thereof by the processing element;
• at least one gate having an upstream side defining the back end of the first document path and a downstream side defining an end of a second document path;
• said at least one gate being adapted to permit movement of the document from the first document path to the second document path;
• a second transport subassembly adapted to move the document in the second document path until the document has cleared said at least one gate;
• said receiver being adapted to communicate the acceptance signal to the second transport subassembly, upon receipt thereof by said receiver;
• the second transport subassembly being further adapted, upon receipt of the acceptance signal, to move the document along the second document path in a reverse direction until the document engages the downstream side of said at least one gate;
• said at least one gate being adapted to direct the document, upon engagement thereof with the downstream side of said at least one gate, into the first document path at the front end thereof with the second face of the document positioned for presentation to the processing element as the document is moved along the first document path, for processing thereof by the processing element;
• and
• the document being moved into the second document path to a predetermined acceptance position therefor.

A method of presenting each of a first face and a second face of a document to a processing element for processing of the document thereby, the method comprising:

• providing a first transport subassembly and a first document path operably associated therewith;
• using the first transport subassembly to move the document along the first document path from a front end to a back end of the first document path past the processing element to expose the first face of the document for processing thereof by the processing element;
• providing at least one gate having an upstream side defining the back end of the first document path and a downstream side defining an end of a second document path, said at least one gate being adapted to permit movement of the document from the first document path to the second document path;
• providing a second transport subassembly;
• using the second transport subassembly to move the document in the second document path until the document has cleared said at least one gate;
• using the second transport subassembly to move the document along the second document path in a reverse direction until the document engages the downstream side of said at least one gate;
• and
• using said at least one gate to direct the document, upon engagement thereof with the downstream side of said at least one gate, into the first document path at the front end thereof with the second face of the document positioned for presentation to the processing element as the document is moved along the first document path by the first transport subassembly, for processing thereof by the processing element.