# US 2013/0154185 A1 · Document pinching > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2013/0154185 A1 - Document ID: US20130154185A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/331,495 - Filed: 2011-12-20 - Published: 2013-06-20 - Earliest claimed: 2011-12-20 - Assignees: NCR Corporation - Inventors: Joshua Bruce - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130154185A1 ## CPC - B65H 29/06: the grippers being carried by rotating members - B65H 31/14: Springs (fluid springs B65H31/16) - B65H 2404/651: having at least one element, e.g. stacker/inverter - B65H 2404/655: Means for holding material on element - B65H 2701/1912: Banknotes, bills and cheques or the like - B65H: HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES ## Abstract An apparatus and method are disclosed for stacking items of media in a container region. The apparatus includes at least one rotatable element, each having an outer surface and an opposed claw element for releasably clamping an item of media to the outer surface of the rotatable element for rotation therewith. The apparatus also includes a driven roller element for locating an item of media released by the claw element into a stack position. The apparatus also includes a support platform element biased towards the roller element to compress items of media located in the stack position between the platform element and the roller element. ## Claims ### Claim 1 Apparatus for stacking items of media in a container region, comprising: at least one rotatable element, each having an outer surface and an opposed claw element for releasably clamping an item of media to the outer surface of the rotatable element for rotation therewith; a driven roller element for locating an item of media released by the claw element into a stack position; and a support platform element biased towards the roller element to compress items of media located in the stack position between the platform element and the roller element. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: said support platform element and said driven roller element provide a constant pinch force on items of media in a stack of items of media arranged at the stack position. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: a spring element that constantly biases the platform element towards the roller element. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: a drive shaft element to rotate each rotatable element; a Geneva crank pin element driven responsive to rotation of the drive shaft; and a Geneva wheel element driven by the crank pin; wherein said roller element is driven responsive to revolution of the Geneva wheel element. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The apparatus as claimed in claim 4, further comprising: the Geneva wheel element is arranged to rotate as a leading edge of an incoming item of media reaches a pinch position between the platform element and the roller element. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The apparatus as claimed in claim 5, further comprising: if the incoming item of media is a first item of media, the pinch position is located between an outer surface of the roller element and an opposed roller supported on the platform element; and if the incoming item of media is a non-first item of media, the pinch position is located between an outer surface of the roller element and an upper surface of an uppermost stacked item of media. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The apparatus as claimed in claim 4, further comprising: rotation of the Geneva wheel element is arranged to cease as a leading edge of an incoming item of media moves laterally to a desired stack edge region. ### Claim 8 (depends on 4) The apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the Geneva wheel element comprises a major spur gear element comprising a plurality of major teeth elements, the apparatus further comprising: a drive wheel comprising a minor spur gear element comprising a plurality of minor teeth elements meshed with the major teeth elements; and a drive belt connecting the drive wheel to the roller element. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The apparatus as claimed in claim 8, further comprising: a gear ratio between the major spur gear element and the minor spur gear element is selected so that a rotation speed of the roller elements substantially matches a tangential speed of an item of media rotating with the rotatable element. ### Claim 10 (depends on 4) The apparatus as claimed in claim 4, further comprising: the Geneva wheel element comprises a locking member, that rotates with the Geneva wheel element and comprises plurality of locking abutment surfaces; and the Geneva crank pin element is supported by a disc member that is driven by rotation of the drive shaft element, the disc member having a generally circular peripheral riding edge surface that rides against an opposed locking abutment surface; wherein the riding edge of the disc member comprises at least one inset region which releases the locking member as the disc member rotates. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) An automated teller machine (ATM) comprising a deposit module, comprising apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein each item of media comprises a currency note and/or cheque. ### Claim 12 A method of stacking items of media in a container region, comprising the steps of: clamping an incoming item of media between a claw element and an outer surface of at least one rotatable element; at least partially rotating the rotatable element; unclamping the incoming item of media; rotating a driven roller element to locate the unclamped incoming item of media into a stack position; and compressing one or more items of media located in the stack position between the roller element and a support platform element by urging the platform element towards the roller element. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method as claimed in claim 12, further comprising: compressing the items of media by providing a constant pinch force between outer items of media in a stack of items of media by constantly biasing the platform towards the roller element via a spring element. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The method as claimed in claim 12, further comprising: stacking a continuous flow of incoming items of media one-by-one whilst constantly compressing an accumulating stack of items. ### Claim 15 A product which comprises a computer program comprising program instructions for: clamping an incoming item of media between a claw element and an outer surface of at least one rotatable element; at least partially rotating the rotatable element; unclamping the incoming item of media; rotating a driven roller element to locate the unclamped incoming item of media into a stack position; and compressing one or more items of media located in the stack position between the roller element and the support platform element by urging the platform element towards the roller element.