Printer paper cutting mechanism for automated teller machine

Apparatus comprising:

• a supporting frame;
• a cutting edge in supporting connection with the supporting frame;
• a paper moving mechanism in supporting connection with the frame, wherein the paper moving mechanism is operative to move a paper adjacent thereto along a paper movement direction;
• a movable supporting member, wherein the movable supporting member is in supporting correction with the frame and is movable in a direction generally transverse to the paper movement direction and wherein the cutting edge extends generally along the transverse direction and on an opposed side of the paper from the movable supporting member;
• a drive in operative connection with the movable supporting member, wherein the drive is operative to selectively move the movable supporting member along the transverse direction;
• a print mechanism in supporting connection with the movable supporting member, wherein the print mechanism is selectively operative to print indicia on the paper as the drive moves the movable supporting member along the transverse direction;
• a cutter member movably mounted in supporting connection with the movable supporting member, the cutter member being movable between a cutting position wherein the cutter member engages the cutting edge and cuts the paper and a non-cutting position wherein the cutter member is disposed from the cutter edge and does not cut the paper;
• a pair of transversely disposed cam members, wherein each of the cam members is engageable in operative connection with the cutter member, wherein operative engagement of the cutter member with each cam member is operative to dispose the cutter member generally along the paper movement direction and away from the cutting edge as the cutter member moves between the cutting and non-cutting positions.

Apparatus in an automated banking machine including:

• a paper moving mechanism in the machine, wherein the paper moving mechanism selectively moves a paper along a paper movement direction;
• a print mechanism in supporting connection with a movable supporting member, wherein the movable supporting member is selectively moved along a direction transverse to the paper movement direction and wherein indicia is printed by the print mechanism;
• a cutting edge extending generally along the transverse direction on an opposed side of the paper from the movable supporting member;
• and
• a guide surface extending generally transversely adjacent to the cutting edge;
• an arm in supporting connection with the movable supporting member, and an actuating mechanism for moving the arm towards the paper to a cutting position in a first transverse position of the movable supporting member and away from the paper to a non-cutting position in a second transverse position of the movable supporting member;
• means for mounting a cutter disk in connection with the arm;
• an improvement comprising:
• a cutter disk, the cutter disk including a tapered band sized for engaging the cutting edge in the cutting position of the arm, wherein in the cutting position the paper is cut by engagement of the cutting edge and tapered band, the cutter disk further including a central band disposed from the tapered band, wherein the central band is sized for engaging the guide surface when the arm is in the cutting position.

A method comprising the steps of:

• (a) printing on a paper with a print mechanism by moving a movable supporting member in supporting connection with the print mechanism along a generally first transverse direction relative to the paper, wherein the paper is bounded by a first transverse edge and a second transverse edge;
• (b) moving the movable supporting member towards the first transverse edge of the paper;
• (c) moving a cutter member relative to the movable supporting member from a non-paper cutting position to a paper cutting position adjacent the first transverse edge by operatively engaging the cutter member and a first stop in a first transverse position of the movable supporting member;
• (d) transversely cutting the paper by moving the movable supporting member in a second transverse direction towards the second transverse edge of the paper with the cutter member in the cutting position;
• and
• (e) moving the cutter member from the paper cutting position to the non-paper cutting position by operatively engaging the cutter member and a second stop in a second transverse position of the movable supporting member.