High-speed deposit apparatus

A safe, comprising:

• an upper compartment configured to receive a validator therein;
• a lower compartment disposed beneath the upper compartment and separated from the upper compartment by a shelf, the shelf including an opening formed therein and configured to be aligned with the validator;
• a note bundle deposit system disposed within the lower compartment, the note bundle deposit system including:
• a cassette including a hollow interior configured to receive note bundles from the upper compartment, the cassette including an opening extending from a base of the cassette;
• a platform capable of being linearly driven in opposing directions along a path such that the platform moves within the opening of the cassette, the platform including a top surface configured to support the note bundles;
• at least one sensor configured to detect a drop distance of the note bundles, the drop distance defining (i) a distance between the at least one sensor and the top surface of the platform for a first note bundle introduced into the cassette, and (ii) a distance between the at least one sensor and a top surface of an uppermost note bundle supported by the platform for all subsequent note bundles introduced into the cassette;
• and
• a controller in communication with the at least one sensor to receive the detected drop distance and adjust a position of the platform along the path such that the drop distance is substantially equal for each note bundle introduced into the cassette.

A method of depositing note bundles, the method comprising:

• detecting a drop distance of a note bundle with at least one sensor, the drop distance defining (i) a distance between the at least one sensor and a top surface of a platform of the note bundle deposit system for a first note bundle introduced into a cassette of the note bundle deposit system, and (ii) a distance between the at least one sensor and a top surface of an uppermost note bundle supported by the platform for all subsequent note bundles introduced into the cassette;
• introducing the first note bundle into the cassette, the cassette including a hollow interior configured to receive the first note bundle, and the cassette including an opening extending from a base of the cassette;
• receiving the first note bundle on the top surface of the platform;
• linearly driving the platform along a path such that the platform moves within the opening of the cassette;
• receiving at a controller of the note bundle deposit system the detected drop distance from the at least one sensor;
• and
• adjusting a position of the platform along the path such that the drop distance is substantially equal for a subsequent note bundle to be introduced into the cassette.

A note bundle deposit system, comprising:

• a carousel rotatably mounted to a base;
• two or more cassettes mounted to the carousel, each cassette of the two or more cassettes including a hollow interior configured to receive note bundles, and each cassette including an opening extending from a base of the cassette;
• a single platform mounted to the base and capable of being linearly driven in opposing directions along a path such that the single platform moves within the opening of a first cassette of the two or more cassettes;
• and
• a controller configured to adjust a position of the single platform along the path to a lowermost position such that the platform is disposed below a plane defined by the base of the first cassette;
• wherein the controller is configured to rotate the carousel such that the first cassette is moved radially away from the single platform and a second cassette of the two or more cassettes is aligned with the single platform;
• and
• wherein the controller is configured to adjust the position of the single platform along the path to a desired position within the opening of the second cassette.