Banking machine control

A method of controlling the dispensing of bank notes from a banking machine responsive to externally generated control signals, comprising the steps of:

• actuating a transport system for delivering bank notes along a transport path from a storage bin to an escrow station,
• detecting the movement of multiple notes along the transport path in the transport system and generating a separating signal when more than one note enters the transport system,
• returning all but one note in the transport system in response to the separating signal bank to the storage bin,
• timing the travel of a note past a check point displaced from the start of the transport path of the transport system to monitor for an overlapping bill condition,
• sensing for the presence of multiple notes traveling together through the transport system only after completion of the timing function at a location displaced downstream from the check point along the transport path by a distance such that the bank note has partially passed the location at the completion of the timing function,
• and transporting notes assembled at the escrow station to an exit throat.

Apparatus for controlling the dispensing of bank notes from a banking machine responsive to externally generated control signals, comprising in combination:

• transport means for delivering notes from a storage bin along a transport path to an escrow station,
• means for feeding notes from the storage bin to the transport path of the transport means,
• means for sensing the movement of a note along the transport path of said transport means to generate a note timing and note count signal,
• a multiple note detector located downstream of said means for sensing along the transport path by a distance less than the length of a back note and responsive to the note timing signal to sense multiple notes traveling together through the transport means and generate a divert signal for a multiple note condition, and
• means for transporting notes assembled in the escrow station to an exit throat at the termination of the note count signal whenever the multiple note detector does not generate the divert signal.

Apparatus for controlling the dispensing of bank notes from a banking machine responsive to externally generated control signals, comprising in combination:

• transport means for delivering bank notes from a storage bin along a transport path to an escrow station,
• means responsive to multiple notes entering said transport means to return all but one note back to the storage bin,
• means for sensing the movement of a note along the transport path of said transport means to generate a note timing and note count signal,
• a multiple note detector located downstream of said means for sensing along the transport path by a distance less than the length of a bank note and responsive to the note timing signal to sense multiple notes traveling together through the transport means and generate a divert required signal for a multiple note condition, and
• means for transporting notes assembled in the escrow station to an exit throat if the multiple note detector does not sense multiple notes traveling together.