Apparatus for handling sheets

Sheet handling apparatus comprising:

• input path means for receiving sheets inputted to the apparatus;
• first output means for outputting a rejected sheet;
• second output means for outputting an accepted sheet;
• a temporary storage device for storing temporarily one or more sheets in the apparatus to allow processing of additional sheets;
• and
• transportation means operable to transport a sheet from the input path means to an intermediate position wherein the intermediate position is a position in which the sheet is stored partially by the temporary storage device, and can be discharged from the partially stored position without discharging sheets already stored by the temporary storage device, and wherein at which the sheet can selectively be outputted by the second output means without outputting any additional sheet stored by the temporary storage device, or the sheet can be selectively stored by the temporary storage device.

In a sheet handling apparatus, a temporary storage device comprising:

• cylindrical means having a circumferential periphery around which sheets can be stored;
• endless belt means extending around a major portion of the circumference of the cylindrical means for holding said sheets against the cylindrical means, said endless belt means leaving clear an entry/exit region through which one or more sheets can be introduced to, or discharged from, the cylindrical means;
• drive means for rotating the cylindrical means in a first direction when one or more sheets are to be introduced to the cylindrical means, and in a second direction when one or more sheets are to be discharged from the cylindrical means;
• and
• control means operable to control the drive means to rotate the cylindrical means in the first direction to receive a sheet introduced to the cylindrical means, and to halt rotation of the cylindrical means in the first direction at a partially stored position in which a first portion of the sheet is received around the cylindrical means and a second portion of the sheet remains clear of the cylindrical means in the entry/exit area.

In a sheet handling system, a storage device for storing one or more sheets temporarily, the storage device comprising:

• cylindrical means having a circumferential periphery around which sheets can be stored;
• endless belt means extending around a major portion of the circumference of the cylindrical means for holding said sheets against the cylindrical means, said endless belt means leaving clear an entry/exit region through which one or more sheets can be introduced to, or discharged from, the cylindrical means;
• drive means for rotating the cylindrical means in a first direction when one or more sheets are to be introduced to the cylindrical means, and in a second direction when one or more sheets are to be discharged from the cylindrical means;
• guide means biased, during rotation of the cylindrical means in both the first direction and the second direction, to a return position in the entry/exit region in which position the guide means co-operates with sheets approaching in the second direction of rotation to guide the sheets off the surface of the cylindrical means for discharge through the entry/exit region and, during rotation of the cylindrical means in the first direction, the guide means is displaced out of the return position by contact with one or more sheets on the cylindrical means to allow the sheets on the cylindrical means to pass, and the guide means returning to the return position under said bias once the sheets have been moved therepast;
• and
• a sensor for sensing the position of the guide means, and for providing an electrical signal indicative of the sensed position.

In a sheet handling system, a storage device for storing one or more sheets temporarily, the storage device comprising:

• cylindrical means having a circumferential periphery around which sheets can be stored;
• endless belt means extending around a major portion of the circumference of the cylindrical means for holding said sheets against the cylindrical means, said endless belt means leaving clear an entry exit region through which one or more sheets can be introduced to, or discharged from, the cylindrical means;
• drive means for rotating the cylindrical means in a first direction when one or more sheets are to be introduced to the cylindrical means, and in a second direction when one or more sheets are to be discharged from the cylindrical means;
• tactile means displaceable by contact with sheets in at least one direction of rotation of the cylindrical means, for sensing the presence of sheets at a certain position around the cylindrical means;
• a sensor for sensing the condition of the tactile means, and for providing an electrical signal indicative of the sensed condition.

A short-term storage device for sheets comprising an intermediate storage device having a mouth opening, and a transportation system for feeding the sheets through the mouth opening;

• the intermediate storage device comprising:
• a drum rotatable about a drum axis and having a cylindrical surface,
• a set of parallel endless belts which is laid from the outside at one side around the cylindrical surface of the drum, the belts serving to hold the sheets stored in a bundle fast on the drum,
• a switching device having tongues which are pivotable about a pivot axis against the cylindrical surface for lifting the bundle off the cylindrical surface upon return of the bundle to the transportation system,
• a drive unit for the drum,
• plurality of sensors, and
• a control device which is designed at least for controlling the drive unit by means of signals from the sensors,
• wherein the drive unit for the drum and for the endless belts can be switched over into opposite first and second directions of rotation, the drum being designed for storage of the sheets which are individually fed through the mouth opening by way of a passage by means of a single complete revolution of the drum through 360.degree. in the first direction of rotation so that successively stored sheets form a bundle, and return of the bundle which is stored on the cylindrical surface being effected by way of the same passage through the mouth opening, wherein the drum performs a single complete revolution through 360.degree. in the second direction of rotation, and wherein the drive unit comprises a stepping motor which is electrically connected to the control device by way of a plurality of lines, the control device being arranged to determine the direction of rotation and the moment at which the drive unit is switched on, and to switch off the drive unit after a 360.degree. rotary movement in the determined direction of rotation.

A method of handling value sheets in a value sheet handling apparatus, said apparatus comprising an input, a temporary storage device for temporarily storing one or more value sheets to allow processing of further value sheets, a path from said input to said temporary storage device and an intermediate position on said path, the method comprising:

• transporting the sheets successively from said input to said intermediate position and then selecting one of the following operations and performing the selected operation:
• (a) sending the sheet to be stored at said temporary storage device with previously entered sheets;
• (b) encashing the sheet without fully delivering the sheet to the storage device;
• and
• (c) returning the sheet without returning sheets stored in the storage device.

An apparatus for controlling a rotatable intermediate sheet storage device around which sheets can be stored, comprising:

• means for rotating the storage device in a first direction to receive a sheet being fed thereto;
• means for reversing rotation of the storage device;
• and
• means for halting rotation of the storage device in the first direction at a position in which a first portion of the sheet is received around the storage device, and a second portion of the sheet remains clear of the storage device, whereby the sheet can either be stored on the storage device with any previously stored sheets by continuing rotation of the storage device in the first direction, or the sheet can be discharged from the storage device independently of any previously stored sheets by reversing the rotation of the storage device.

A value sheet handling apparatus comprising:

• means for transporting the sheet from an input to an intermediate position;
• means for sending the sheet along a first route from the intermediate position to, and storing the sheet in a temporary storage device with previously entered sheets;
• means for selectively sending the sheet along a second route from the intermediate position to encash the sheet, without fully delivering the sheet to the storage device;
• means for sending the sheet along a third route from the intermediate position to return the sheet without returning the sheets stored at the storage device.

Banknote handling apparatus comprising:

• a first note passage for receiving a banknote inputted to the apparatus;
• a second note passage for outputting a banknote from the apparatus;
• a third note passage for accepting a banknote;
• a temporary storage device for storing temporarily one or more banknotes in the apparatus to allow processing of additional banknotes, and for accumulating notes thereat to form a stack, the temporary storage device comprising a rotatable cylindrical element around which one or more sheets can be stored, and at least one endless belt extending around a major portion of the circumference of the cylindrical element for holding said one or more sheets against the cylindrical element, the endless belt leaving clear a bidirectional entry/exit region through which the banknotes can be introduced to, and discharged from, the cylindrical element upon rotation of the cylindrical element;
• and
• a transportation system operable selectively to:
• (a) transport an inputted banknote from the first passage to an intermediate position in the transportation system at which the banknote is in direct communication with the second passage, the third passage and the entry/exit region adjacent to the cylindrical element;
• (b) transport a banknote in a first movement direction from the intermediate position through the entry/exit region to transfer the banknote to the cylindrical element for temporary storage with any banknotes already stored on the cylindrical element;
• (c) transport banknotes stored on the cylindrical element in a second movement direction opposite to said first movement direction through said entry/exit region to said intermediate position in said transportation system to unload the banknotes as a stack from the cylindrical element;
• (d) transport one or more banknotes located at the intermediate position through said second passage to output the banknotes to a user;
• and
• (e) transport one or more banknotes located at the intermediate position through said third passage to accept said banknotes.

Apparatus for handling sheets comprising:

• a temporary storage device comprising a rotatable cylindrical element around which one or more sheets can be stored, and at least one endless belt extending around a major portion of the circumference of the cylindrical element for holding said one or more sheets against the cylindrical element, the endless belt leaving clear an entry/exit region through which sheets can be introduced to, and discharged from, the cylindrical element upon rotation of the cylindrical element;
• a transportation system comprising at least one movable transport element for engaging a sheet to transport the sheet to and from the temporary storage device, and a drive unit for driving the transport element;
• and
• a selectable transmission coupling for selectively coupling a driving force from the transportation system to the temporary storage device to rotate the cylindrical element.

Sheet handling apparatus comprising:

• a temporary storage device for sheets comprising rotatable cylindrical means around which one or more sheets can be stored, and endless belt means extending around a major portion of a circumference of the cylindrical means for holding the sheets against the cylindrical means;
• transportation means for transporting a sheet along a note path;
• and
• control means for operating said transportation means in a first movement direction to advance a received sheet to an intermediate position in said note path, and for selectively reversing the direction of movement of the transportation means to move said note from the intermediate position in a reverse direction to transfer the sheet to the temporary storage device.