Automated self securing actuator apparatus and method of operation

A method of operating a money item gate apparatus, comprising:

• moving at least one drive element of the money item gate apparatus along a first section of an arced path to engage a receiving part of an actuatable portion at a first position of the actuatable portion, wherein the at least one drive element is configured to move along the arced path between first and second configurations;
• moving the at least one drive element along a second section of the arced path to actuate the actuatable portion from the first position to a second position of the actuatable portion;
• moving the at least one drive element along a third section of the arced path to disengage the receiving part at the second position of the actuatable portion;
• and
• moving the at least one drive element along a fourth section of the arced path to secure the actuatable portion in the second position against at least one limit region of the money item gate apparatus.

A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing computer readable instructions which, when executed by at least one computing apparatus, cause the at least one computing apparatus to operate a money item gate apparatus to:

• move at least one drive element of the money item gate apparatus along a first section of an arced path to engage a receiving part of an actuatable portion at a first position of the actuatable portion, wherein the at least one drive element is configured to move along the arced path between first and second configurations;
• move the at least one drive element along a second section of the arced path to actuate the actuatable portion from the first position to a second position of the actuatable portion;
• move the at least one drive element along a third section of the arced path to disengage the receiving part at the second position of the actuatable portion;
• and
• move the at least one drive element along a fourth section of the arced path to secure the actuatable portion in the second position against at least one limit region of the money item gate apparatus.