Automated teller machine passbook transport mechanism

A passbook transport apparatus for moving a passbook between a person and a printer in a banking machine, said passbook having a first generally planar surface and an opposed second generally planar surface, and a pair of opposed generally parallel first and second side edge surfaces, said apparatus comprising:

• a plurality of first movable belt flights, said belt flights extending in a longitudinal direction, said first flights engageable with said first planar surface of said passbook;
• at least one second movable belt flight, said second belt flight extending in the longitudinal direction, said second belt flight engageable with said second planar surface of said passbook when said first flight is engaged with said first planar surface;
• a first edge guide extending in a longitudinal direction, said first edge guide engageable with a first side edge surface of said passbook;
• a second edge guide extending in a longitudinal direction, said second edge guide engageable with said second side edge surface of said passbook when said first edge guide is engaged with said first side edge surface;
• a generally planar plate spring biasing the second edge guide toward the first edge guide, and wherein said plate spring extends generally perpendicular to said first and second planar surfaces of said passbook, whereby when said passbook is between said edge guides said first and second side edge surfaces are maintained in alignment with said edge guides;
• and
• a drive moving said first and second belt flights, whereby said passbook is carried between said first and second belt flights.

A passbook transport. apparatus for moving a passbook between a person and a printer in a banking machine, said passbook having a first generally planar surface and an opposed second generally planar surface, and a pair of opposed generally parallel first and second side edge surfaces, said apparatus comprising:

• a plurality of first movable belt flights, said first belt flights extending in a longitudinal direction, said first flights engagable with said first planar surface of said passbook;
• at least one second movable belt flight, said second belt flight extending in the longitudinal direction, said second flight engagable with said second planar surface of said passbook when said first flights are engaged with said first planar surface;
• an entrance area for admitting said passbook between said first and second belt flights;
• first sensor adjacent said entrance area;
• a second sensor adjacent said entrance area and spaced traversely of said first sensor;
• a drive moving said first and second belt flights, whereby said passbook is carried between said first and second belt flights;
• wherein said first and second sensors are in operative connection with said drive and wherein said drive is operable to move said belt flights in a first longitudinal direction to accept said passbook between said first and second belt flights responsive to sensing of said passbook by both said first and second sensors.

A passbook transport apparatus for moving a passbook between a person and a printer in a banking machine, said passbook having a first generally planar surface and an opposed second generally planar surface, and a pair of opposed generally parallel first and second side edge surfaces, said apparatus comprising:

• a plurality of first movable belt flights, said first belt flights extending in a longitudinal direction, said first flights engagable with said first planar surface of said passbook;
• at least one second movable belt flight, said second belt flight extending in the longitudinal direction, said second belt flight engagable with said second planar surface of said passbook when said first flights are engaged with first planar surface;
• an entrance area for admitting said passbook between said first and second belt fllghts;
• a first sensor adjacent said entrance area;
• a second sensor adjacent said entrance area and spaced traversely of said first sensor:
• a third sensor traversely spaced further from said first sensor than said second sensor;
• a drive moving said first and second belt flights, whereby said passbook is carried between said first and second belt flights;
• wherein said first, second and third sensors are in operative connection with said drive wherein said drive is operable to move said belt flights in a first longitudinal direction to accept said passbook between said first and second belt flights upon sensing of said passbook by said first and second sensors, and wherein when said passbook is sensed by said first, second and third sensors said drive is inoperative.

A passbook transport apparatus for moving a passbook between a person and a printer in a banking machine, said passbook having a first generally planar surface and an opposed second generally planar surface, and a pair of opposed generally parallel first and second side edge surfaces, said apparatus comprising:

• a plurality of first movable belt flights, said first belt flights extending in a longitudinal direction, said first flights engagable with said first planar surface of said passbook;
• at least one second movable belt flight, said second belt flight extending in the longitudinal direction, said second flight engagable with said second planar surface of said passbook when said first flights are engaged with said first planar surface;
• a first edge guide extending in the longitudinal direction, said first edge guide engageable with the first side edge surface of the passbook;
• a second edge guide extending in said longitudinal direction, said second edge guide engagable with said second side edge surface of said passbook when said first edge guide is engaged with said first edge surface;
• an entrance area for admitting said passbook between said first and second belt flights;
• a first sensor adjacent said entrance area, wherein said first sensor is generally aligned in the longitudinal direction with said first edge guide;
• a second sensor adjacent said entrance area and spaced traversely of said first sensor, wherein said second sensor is generally longitudinally aligned with said second edge guide:
• a drive moving said first and second belt flights, whereby said passbook is carried between said first and second belt flights;
• wherein said first and second sensors are in operative connection with said drive wherein said drive is operable to move said belt flights in a first longitudinal direction to accept said passbook between said first and second belt flights upon sensing of said passbook by said first and second sensors.

A passbook transport apparatus for moving a passbook between a person and a printer in a banking machine, said passbook having a first generally planar surface and an opposed second generally planar surface, and a pair of opposed generally parallel first and second side edge surfaces, said apparatus comprising:

• a plurality of first movable belt flights, said first belt flights extending in a longitudinal direction, said first flights engagable with said first planar surface of said passbook;
• at least one second movable belt flight, said second belt flight extending in the longitudinal direction, said second flight engagable with said second planar surface of said passbook when said first flights are engaged with said first planar surface;
• an entrance area for admitting said passbook between said first and second belt flights;
• a first sensor adjacent said entrance area;
• a second sensor adjacent said entrance arei and 8paced traversely of said first sensor;
• a fourth sensor disposed in the longitudinal direction from said first sensor;
• a drive moving said first and second belt flights, whereby said passbook is carried between said first and second belt flight;
• wherein said first, second and fourth sensors are in operative connection with said drive, and wherein said drive is operable to move said belt flights in a first longitudinal direction to accept said passbook between said first and second belt flights upon sensing of said passbook by said first and second sensors and wherein said drive is operable to stop movement of said first and second belt flights in the first longitudinal direction unless said passbook is sensed by said fourth sensor upon ceasing to be sensed by first sensor or said second sensor.

A passbook transport apparatus for moving a passbook between a person and a printer in a banking machine, said passbook having a first generally planar surface and an opposed second generally planar surface, and a pair of opposed generally parallel first and second side edge surfaces, said apparatus comprising:

• a plurality of first movable belt flights, said first belt flights extending in a longitudinal direction, said first flights engagable with said first planar surface of said passbook;
• at least one second movable belt flight, said second belt flight extending in the longitudinal direction, said second flight engagable with said second planar surface of said passbook when said first flights are engaged with said first planar surface;
• an entrance area for admitting said passbook between said first and second belt flights;
• a movable gate member selectively blocking said entrance area;
• a first edge guide extending in a longitudinal direction, said first edge guide engagable with a first side edge surface of said passbook;
• a second edge guide extending in a longitudinal direction, said second edge guide engagable with said second side edge surface of said passbook when said first edge guide is engaged with said first edge surface;
• a drive moving said first and second belt flights, whereby said passbook is carried between said first and second belt flights;
• a first sensor adjacent said entrance area;
• a second sensor adjacent said entrance area;
• said second sensor spaced traversely of said first sensor;
• and
• wherein said first and second sensors are operatively connected with said gate member and wherein said gate member opens said entrance area upon sensing of said passbook adjacent said first and second sensors.

A transport apparatus for moving an item from an entry end to an exit end of said transport comprising:

• a plurality of first movable belt flights extending parallel and in a longitudinal direction, each said first belt flight supported on first supporting members at longitudinally spaced intervals;
• at least one second movable belt flight extending in the longitudinal direction, said second belt flight positioned transversely intermediate of said first belt flights and generally co-planar therewith, second belt flights supported on second supporting members at longitudinally spaced intervals;
• and
• a drive moving said belt flights in a first longitudinal direction wherein an item is carried between said first and second belt flights;
• a first edge guide extending in the longitudinal direction and wherein said first edge guide is engagable with a first side surface of the item as said item moves through said transport;
• a second edge guide extending in the longitudinal direction and disposed from said first edge guide a distance in a transverse direction, and wherein said second edge guide is engagable with a second side surface of said item as said item moves through said transport;
• a generally planar plate spring biasing the second edge guide toward the first edge guide, and wherein said plate spring extends generally perpendicular to said longitudinal direction, whereby said first and second side edge surfaces of said item are maintained in alignment with said edge guides;
• and
• an adjusting mechanism selectively modifying the distance in said transverse direction between said first and second edge guides, whereby said transport is enabled to transport items having different transverse dimensions.

A method for transporting an item having generally parallel side edge surfaces in an automated banking machine, comprising the steps of:

• supporting said item between a plurality of first belt flights extending parallel and in a longitudinal direction, said first belt flights supported on first supporting members at longitudinally spaced intervals, and a plurality of second belt flights extending in said longitudinal direction and traversely intermediate of said first belt flights, said second belt flights supported on second supporting members at longitudinally spaced intervals, said first and second belt flights being generally co-planar;
• providing a gate member for selectively blocking an item from entering between said belt flights;
• sensing with first sensors when the width of said item between said edge surfaces generally corresponds to a distance between first and second longitudinally extending edge guides;
• and
• opening said gate member in response to said sensing means sensing said distance between said edge surfaces;
• moving said first and second belt flights in a first longitudinal direction;
• and
• engaging said item between said first and second belt flights wherein said item is carried between said belt flights with a first side edge surface in engagement with said first edge guide and said opposed side edge surface in engagement with said second edge guide.