Patent ID: 8973817
Filing Date: 2015-03-10
Classification: B65H,G07F

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for feeding a plurality of stacked currency bills into a currency handling device, the apparatus comprising: an input receptacle being configured to receive a plurality of stacked currency bills, the receptacle having a first side and a second opposing side, a front end and an opposing back end, and a floor; a feeder mechanism disposed adjacent the front end of the input receptacle, the feeder mechanism being configured to transfer the bills, one at a time, from the receptacle to the currency handling device; a first paddle rail disposed adjacent the first side; a second paddle rail disposed adjacent the second side; a first paddle assembly pivotally and slidably coupled to the first paddle rail, the first paddle assembly having a portion configured to contact a stack of a plurality of bills residing in the input receptacle; a second paddle assembly pivotally and slidably coupled to the second paddle rail, the second paddle assembly having a portion configured to contact a stack of a plurality of bills residing in the input receptacle; a first resilient member coupled to the first paddle assembly, the first resilient member being configured to bias the first paddle assembly towards the front end of the receptacle, the first resilient member being configured to cause the first paddle assembly to move in a direction toward the front end of the input receptacle at a first average rate of speed when unrestrained and undamped; a second resilient member coupled to the second paddle assembly, the second resilient member being configured to bias the second paddle assembly towards the front end of the receptacle, the second resilient member being configured to cause the second paddle assembly to move in a direction toward the front end of the input receptacle at a second average rate of speed when unrestrained and undamped; a first damping mechanism configured to slow the unrestrained, average rate of speed the first paddle assembly from the first average rate of speed to a third average rate of speed which is less the first average rate of speed; and a second damping mechanism configured to slow the unrestrained, average rate of speed the second paddle assembly from the second average rate of speed to a fourth average rate of speed which is less the second average rate of speed.