Feed arrangement for currency handling machines

In a feed arrangement for currency handling apparatus, wherein the feed arrangement includes a drum roller rotationally driven in a first direction for frictionally contacting successive bottom bills from a stack of bills that are to be advanced in single file along a given feed direction, a picker roller adapted to bear down into contact with leading edges of said bills being advanced by said drum roller so as to facilitate advancement of only said bottom bills along said feed direction, and a pressure roller disposed downstream of said picker roller for guiding said advanced bottom bills further along said feed direction, said pressure roller being mounted in direct counter-rotating contact with said drum roller along said bill feed direction, the improvement comprising:

• mounting said picker roller for direct counter-rotating contact with said pressure roller along a direction counter to said bill feed direction so as to impart a retarding action upon said stacked bills coming into contact therewith, said contact between said picker and pressure rollers being broken in the presence of a bill between said picker and drum rollers, whereby said picker roller is subsequently susceptible to rotation along said bill feed direction by contact with said bill between said picker and drum rollers.