Registers – Coded record sensors – Feed mechanisms
Reexamination Certificate
1998-07-24
2001-03-06
Frech, Karl D. (Department: 2876)
Registers
Coded record sensors
Feed mechanisms
C235S474000, C235S475000, C271S303000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06196464
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to document routing mechanism and in particular, to a document routing mechanism associated with a storage device for currency notes in an automated teller machine (ATM).
Currency notes are generally stored in one or more currency cassettes within the cash dispenser module of an ATM. During a cash withdrawal transaction, the requisite notes must be picked from the appropriate cassette or cassettes by a vacuum or friction picking mechanism and fed along a main transport path to a stacking mechanism, prior to being delivered to a customer through a slot in the front panel of the ATM. In order to increase the speed and efficiency at which currency notes are dispensed to a customer, currency notes may be picked from one or more of the currency cassettes prior to receipt of a customer cash withdrawal request and are transported to one or more auxiliary storage devices (escrows) for temporary storage. The auxiliary storage devices are located along the transport path closer to the stacking mechanism than the currency cassettes and are arranged to dispense currency notes at a faster rate than dispensing from the main currency cassettes. In subsequent cash withdrawal transactions, if at least some of the notes required for the transaction are available in the auxiliary storage devices, these notes are dispensed therefrom in preference to, or in addition to the notes from the currency cassettes.
In order to achieve appropriate routing of the currency notes from the main feed path towards the auxiliary storage device when currency notes are delivered thereto and from the auxiliary storage device to the main feed path when currency notes are dispensed therefrom, a reliable document routing mechanism is required. Since currency notes are commonly picked from a currency cassette at a rate of up to ten notes per second, the document routing mechanism must be suitably responsive so as to provide for the appropriate routing of bank notes traveling at such a speed.
A document routing mechanism for an ATM currency note storage device is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,871,125. The routing mechanism comprises a pair of curved baffles and a gating mechanism having a core member which can be moved between a first position to define a transport path into the escrow and a second position to define a transport path out of the escrow. The core member is moved by means of an electromagnet and a lever linkage which is connected to the core member. However, this known mechanism is complex and bulky and has a limited operating speed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a fast and reliable document routing mechanism of relatively simple construction.
According to the present invention there is provided a document routing mechanism for selectively directing documents traveling along a first feed path to either a second feed path or to a continuation of the first feed path, and for selectively directing documents returning on the second feed path to the continuation of the first feed path, comprising deflecting means for movement within the first feed path and the second feed path and in that the deflecting means comprises a first deflecting means moveable within the first feed path and, a second deflecting means moveable within the second feed path wherein the first deflecting means is moveable relative to the second deflecting means.
The relative movement between the first and second deflecting means allows for a particularly compact and reliable configuration for the document routing mechanism of the present invention.
Preferably, the first and second deflector means are driven for movement by a common drive means. This arrangement allows for simple operation of the routing mechanism so as to achieve the required operating speeds with the required degree of reliability.
The first deflecting means is preferably operatively connected to the second defecting means in such a way that movement of one of the deflecting means cause movement of the other deflecting means.
Each of the first and second deflector means preferably comprises a pivotally mounted document deflection member and may be arranged for relative pivotal movement.
The document routing mechanism of the present invention may be used in connection with a storage device for currency notes in the cash dispenser module of an automated teller machine (ATM) in which the second path represents a feed path to, and delivery path from, the storage device.
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Halket Andrew R. B.
Patterson David L.
Conte Francis L.
Frech Karl D.
NCR Corporation
Yven J
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