Accumulating device and circulating type bank note depositing and dispensing machine

An accumulating device for accumulating bank notes, which have differences in size, in a mixed state, comprising:

• a bank note identification portion, which is provided in a conveying passage for conveying bank notes, for identifying the denominations of the bank notes;
• a bank note accumulating portion including an accumulation space in which said bank notes are accumulated, an intake/outtake unit for taking in bank notes, which are taken from said conveying passage, in said accumulation space portion, sheet by sheet and taking out the bank notes sheet by sheet as necessary, an accumulating stacker for accumulating bank notes taken in said accumulation space portion in the vertical direction, an accumulating stacker driving portion for driving to elevate and lower said accumulating stacker, a tip end regulating wall for regulating the tip end in the taking-in direction of the bank notes having a maximum length in the taking-in direction of bank notes which are taken in, a rear end regulating wall for regulating the rear end in the taking-in direction of the bank notes to be taken in, at least one stopper that can move between an advancement position and a retreating position, said advancement position being a position that is between the tip end regulating wall and the rear end regulating wall, and on either the accumulating stacker or the bank notes accumulated on the accumulating stacker, and simultaneously is the position at which the tip end in the taking-in direction of bank notes that are taken into the accumulating space portion is stopped, the length in the taking-in direction of said bank notes being shorter than said maximum length, and said retreating position being a position that is above the accumulating stacker and the bank notes accumulated on the accumulating stacker and at which the tip end in the taking-in direction of the bank notes that are taken into the accumulating space portion is not stopped, a stopper support for supporting the stopper so as to be movable in the vertical direction and simultaneously pressing the same in the downward direction, and changing the stopper to a state where the stopper advancing to its advanced position is brought into contact with the upper surface of accumulated bank notes in response to the length in the taking-in direction of the accumulated bank notes and the tip ends in the taking-in direction of the bank notes taken in while the upper surface thereof are being pressed are stopped, and a state where the stopper advances to the tip end side in the taking-in direction of the accumulated bank notes and the tip ends in the taking-in direction of bank notes taken in while the tip ends in the taking-in direction thereof are being stopped, and a stopper driving portion for driving the stopper to advance and retreat between the advanced position and retreated position of the stopper;
• a bank note arrival detecting portion, which is provided in said conveying passage, for detecting that bank notes identified by said bank note identification portion arrives in the vicinity of said bank note accumulating portion;
• and
• a controlling portion for controlling said accumulating stacker driving portion so that, when taking in said bank notes, the upper surface position of said accumulated bank notes is located at a constant height, and simultaneously controlling said stopper driving portion on the basis of identification of bank notes by said bank note identification portion and detection of bank notes by said bank note arrival detecting portion.