Method and apparatus for a lockable, removable cassette, for securely storing currency

A lockable, removable cassette apparatus for connection to a bill pusher of a bill validator for securely storing bills accepted by the bill validator, comprising:

• a housing which contains a bill compartment having a bill opening and a pressure plate for holding bills in place, and which contains a locking means;
• a mounting means for lockably attaching the housing to the bill pusher;
• a pusher plate connected to the locking means and operable to load bills into the bill compartment when the cassette is attached to the bill pusher, and to securely cover the bill opening when the cassette is removed from the bill pusher;
• an access door which must be unlocked using a separate key to remove bills;
• and
• a linkage means for linking the access door to the locking means such that opening the access door releases the linkage means to unlock the pusher plate and thus to arm the cassette.

A lockable, removable cassette apparatus for securely storing bills accepted by a bill validator, comprising:

• a housing containing a bill compartment with a bill opening, and having a locking arrangement;
• a connector for lockably attaching the housing to the bill validator;
• an access door which must be unlocked by using a separate key to remove stored bills;
• and
• an arming shaft for linking the access door to the locking arrangement, such that opening the access door releases the arming shaft from the locking arrangement to arm the cassette.

A lockable, removable, cassette apparatus for securely storing bills accepted by a bill validator, comprising:

• a housing containing a bill compartment and a locking arrangement;
• a connector for lockably attaching the housing to the bill validator;
• and
• a pusher plate for loading bills through a bill opening into the bill compartment, wherein the pusher plate is connected to the locking arrangement such that when the cassette is removed from the bill validator the pusher plate automatically covers the bill opening and locks in place.

A lockable, removable cassette apparatus for storing bills accepted by a bill validator, comprising:

• a housing containing a bill compartment and a shaft compartment;
• a connector for lockably attaching the cassette to a bill validator;
• a locking means housed in the shaft compartment;
• a pusher plate connected to the locking means which moves through a bill opening into and out of the bill compartment to load bills when the cassette is attached to the bill validator;
• a knob connected to the locking means, such that turning the knob to a first predetermined position unlocks the cassette from the bill validator and secures the pusher plate to cover the bill opening, and turning the knob to a second predetermined position locks the cassette to the bill validator and releases the pusher plate;
• an access door which must be unlocked to remove stored bills by using a separate key;
• and
• a linkage means to link the access door to the locking means, such that the access door must be opened to permit the knob to be turned to the second predetermined position.