Patent Publication Number: US-8113508-B2

Title: Bill processor

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a bill processor, and particularly, to a bill processor capable of favorably aligning and stacking bills the lengths of which in the delivery direction are different from one another. 
     Priority is claimed on Japanese Patent Application No. 2006-149517 filed May 30, 2006, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     A bill processor which delivers bills (Euro bills, etc.) the longitudinal length of which are different from one another in their longitudinal direction, and aligns and stacks the bills in the same stacking unit with their leading edges arranged is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication, No. H06-183621. 
     In this bill processor, a bill is conveyed to an upper space of a stacking unit, and the trailing edge of the bill is struck and dropped into a stacking unit by an impeller (striking and dropping unit). This impeller is installed so as to be movable in the delivery direction of bills, and moves according to the length (length in the delivery direction) of a bill delivered into the upper space. 
     However, since the conventional bill processor needs a mechanism which moves the impeller in the delivery direction of bills and rotationally drives the impeller, its structure is complicated. 
     Also, if the impeller is made to move in the delivery direction of bills while the impeller strikes and drops the bills, it is not possible to align and stack the bills. That is, in the case where the impeller is made to move upstream in the delivery direction when bills are struck and dropped, a bill in the course of being struck and dropped may be caused to move upstream. At this time, in a case where the impeller is made to move downstream in the delivery direction, a bill in the course of being struck and dropped may be caused to move downstream. As a result, there is a possibility that bills cannot be aligned and stacked in the stacking unit, and consequently, poor stacking may be caused. Particularly if a preceding bill is moved downstream in the stacking unit, the bill may be stuffed into the stacking unit and curl up. A succeeding bill collides against the preceding bill, and consequently, alignment of bills becomes much more difficult. 
     Therefore, movement of the impeller in the delivery direction of bills needs to be performed while the impeller is surely separated from the trailing edge of a bill. For this reason, it is difficult to stop rotational driving of the impeller during movement of the impeller, and to increase the conveyance speed of bills or shorten the conveyance interval of bills. That is, increasing the throughput per unit time of bills is hindered. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The object of the invention is to provide a bill processor capable of favorably aligning and stacking bills the lengths of which in the delivery direction are different from one another in the same stacking unit. 
     In order to attain the above object, a bill processor according to the present invention includes a delivery unit that substantially horizontally delivers bills one by one to an upper space of a stacking unit where bills are to be stacked; a striking and dropping unit that strikes and drops the trailing edge of a delivered bill in its delivery direction; a regulating member that engages the bill delivered to the upper space of the stacking unit at the leading edge of the bill in its delivery direction; and a position changing mechanism that changes the position of the regulating member in the delivery direction according to the length of the bill in the delivery direction. 
     In the bill processor of the present invention, the regulating member may be provided in a state of always projecting downward from a top wall that forms an upper edge of the upper space of the stacking unit, and the regulating member may be supported so as to be movable in the delivery direction of the bill along the upper wall. 
     In the bill processor of the present invention, the position changing mechanism may have a belt that is wound between a pair of pulleys driven by a motor to support the regulating member, and the bill processor may include a position detector that detects the position of the regulating member. 
     In the bill processor of the present invention, the regulating member may be supported from the top wall that forms the upper edge of the upper space of the stacking unit so as to be protruded into or retracted from the upper space. 
     In the bill processor of the present invention, the position changing mechanism may include an arm that hold the regulating member and is rockable about a pivot, and the arm is rocked about the pivot by a driving mechanism. 
     In the bill processor of the present invention, a plurality of the regulating member may be provided. 
     In the bill processor of the present invention, the top wall may be formed in a substantially horizontal posture or in an upwardly inclined posture that ascends towards the front side in the delivery direction of the bill, and the bill may be delivered along the upper wall from the delivery unit. 
     In the bill processor of the present invention, the delivery unit may include a waveform forming part that makes the bill into a waveform in a direction orthogonal to the delivery direction. 
     According to the present invention, the regulating member is provided at a position where the delivery direction can be changed according to the length of a bill, so that the trailing edge of the bill can be struck and dropped in the stacking unit by the striking and dropping unit in a state where the leading edge of the bill delivered from the delivery unit is made to engage the regulating member. Accordingly, bills having different lengths in the delivery direction can be aligned and stacked with their trailing edges arranged. Since it is not necessary to move the striking and dropping unit in the delivery direction, the structure of the bill handling machine is simplified, and the striking and dropping unit does not move bills to the upstream or downstream in the delivery direction. Therefore, bills can be favorably stacked in the stacking unit. Moreover, although a succeeding bill is fed into the upper space of the stacking unit while the trailing edge of the preceding bill is struck and dropped by the striking and dropping unit, stacking of the preceding bill can be performed normally. Accordingly, even if the conveyance interval of bills is shortened, aligning and stacking of the bills can be performed favorably. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a side sectional view schematically showing a bill processor according to a first embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view showing a delivery unit of the bill processor of the first embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a front view showing the delivery unit of the bill processor of the first embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a front view showing the delivery unit of the bill processor of the first embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 5  is a side sectional view schematically showing a bill processor according to a second embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     A bill processor of a first embodiment of the invention will be described below with reference to  FIGS. 1 to 4 . In the bill processor  11  of the first embodiment, as shown in  FIG. 1 , a charging unit  12  into which loose bills S are inserted is provided in a front upper part of a processor body. A rejection unit  13  to which a rejected bill S is fed from the inside of the processor body is provided below the charging unit  12 . 
     The charging unit  12  has a stand  15  which is inclined slightly backward with respect to a horizontal plane to form a bottom. Bills S are loaded on the stand  15  in a state where they are stacked in an up-and-down direction with the longitudinal direction thereof set in a forward and backward direction. In addition, the stand  15  may be disposed horizontally. 
     The charging unit  12  is provided with a rotary shaft  16  disposed in the right-and-left direction of the processor body above the stand  15  on the deep side of the processor body, and a bill press  17  which is rotatably supported by the rotary shaft  16  so as to be rockable up and down above the stand  15 , and nips the bills S loaded on the stand  15  between itself and the stand S. 
     A separating/feeding unit  20 , which separates the loose bills S loaded on the stand  15  in this way one by one from the lowermost bill and feeds the separated bill into the processor body, is provided on the side of the processor body deeper than the charging unit  12 . The separating/feeding unit  20  has an ejection roller  21 , a feed roller  22 , and a separation roller  23 . The ejection roller  21  is rotatably provided in the stand  15  of the charging unit  12  so as to be rotatable about an axis running in the right-and-left direction of the processor body in a state in which its upper part is made to partially project from the stand  15 . The feed roller  22  is rotatably provided about an axis parallel to the ejection roller  21  on the side of the processor body deeper than the stand  15 . The separation roller  23  is rotatably provided about an axis parallel to the ejection roller  22  above the feed roller  22 . By means of a one-way clutch (not shown), the rotation of the separation roller  23  is regulated in a direction in which the feed roller  22  moves towards the deep side of the processor body and only the rotation of the separation roller in the direction opposite to the above direction is allowed. 
     Such a separating/feeding unit  20  ejects the lowermost loose bill S loaded on the stand  15  between the feed roller  22  and the separation roller  23  by the ejection roller  21 . A bill S that is dragged by the lowermost bill S and moved between the feed roller  22  and the separation roller  23  by this ejection is stopped by the separation roller  23 , and only the lowermost bill S ejected towards the processor body is fed by the feed roller  22 . 
     A conveying unit  25  which conveys the bill S fed from the separating/feeding unit  20  is connected to the separating/feeding unit  20  on the deep side of the processor body. The conveying unit  25  is constituted by a plurality of guide plates which guide bills S, conveyance rollers, distribution members, etc. The conveying unit  25  has a conveying path  26  which extends substantially horizontally from the separating/feeding unit  20 , is then folded back downward, then extends substantially horizontally towards the near side of the processor body, and is then connected to the rejection unit  13 , and a conveying path  27  which extends down-forward from the middle of the conveying path  26 . The conveying path  26  is provided with a discrimination unit  30  which determines denomination, authenticity, normal/damaged state, and conveyance abnormality of bills S and counts the bills, during conveyance thereof. 
     A stacking unit  32  on which bills S that are determined to be authentic bills, normal bills, and normal conveyance by the discrimination unit  30  are stacked by denomination mixing is connected to a terminal position of the conveying path  27  of the conveying unit  25 . 
     Bills S are loaded into the charging unit  12  in a posture in which the longitudinal direction of the bills is set in a separating/feeding direction of the separating/feeding unit  20 . The conveying unit  25  conveys bills S in a posture in which their longitudinal direction is set in a conveying direction, and delivers them to either the stacking unit  32  or the rejection unit  13  in a posture in which their longitudinal direction is set in the delivery direction. 
     The stacking unit  32  has an angled cylindrical wall structure  38  having a front wall  35  vertically erected in front of the delivery direction of the conveying path  27 , a rear wall  36  vertically erected behind the delivery direction of the conveying path  27 , and a pair of side walls  37  which connect the same right and left sides of the front wall  35  and the rear wall  36  together and are vertically erected. The stacking unit  32  further has a bottom wall  39  which closes a bottom opening of the angled cylindrical wall structure  38 , and a top wall  40  which closes a top opening of the angled cylindrical wall structure  38 . The bottom wall  39  and the top wall  40  are installed in such an upwardly inclined posture that they rises slightly with respect to the horizontal plane from the deep side of the processor body towards the front side of the processor body (in other words, towards the front of the delivery direction of bills S delivered from the delivery unit  45 ). However, the bottom wall  39  and the top wall  40  are disposed in a substantially horizontal posture. A portion of the front wall  35  is constituted by a rear face of an openable/closable return door  41  of the front face of the processor body. 
     Also, a portion along the top wall  40  in an internal space of the stacking unit  32  surrounded by the wall structure  38 , the bottom wall  39 , and the top wall  40  is referred to as an upper space  33  of the stacking unit  32 . The top wall  40  forms an upper edge of the upper space  33 . 
     The delivery unit  45  is provided in a portion that is connected to the stacking unit  32  in a terminal position of the conveying path  27  of the conveying unit  25 . As shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the delivery unit  45  includes a pair of rotatable intermediate rollers  46   a  and  46   b  parallel to the feed roller  22 . The intermediate rollers  46   a  and  46   b  nip almost a middle portion of a bill S in its lateral direction orthogonal to the delivery direction thereof from both the upper and lower sides (both the front and back sides of the bill). The delivery unit  45  further includes two pairs of outer rollers  47   a  and  47   b  and outer rollers  48   a  and  48   b  which are respectively provided so as to be separated at an equal distance on both sides of the intermediate rollers  46   a  and  46   b  in the lateral direction of bills S. The outer rollers  47   a  and  47   b  and the outer rollers  48   a  and  48   b  nip a bill S from both the upper and lower sides (both the front and back sides) in a bill nipping position which is offset upward from the bill nipping position of the pair of intermediate rollers  46   a  and  46   b . That is, the bill nipping position of the intermediate rollers  46   a  and  46   b , the bill nipping position of the outer rollers  47   a  and  47   b , and the bill nipping position of the outer rollers  48   a  and  48   b  are disposed in the shape of the letter “V” as seen from the front side in the delivery direction of bills. 
     The lower intermediate roller  46   b , the lower outer roller  47   b , and the lower outer roller  48   b  are supported by a common driving shaft  50  disposed on the upper outside of the rear wall  36 , and all of them are disposed on the same axis. The upper intermediate roller  46   a , the upper outer roller  47   a , and the upper outer roller  48   a  are disposed on the same axis. The upper intermediate roller  46   a  has a larger diameter than the lower intermediate roller  46   b . Meanwhile, both the lower outer rollers  47   b  and  48   b  have the same diameter, and both the upper outer rollers  47   a  and  48   a  have the same diameter. The outer rollers  47   a  and  48   a  also have a smaller diameter than the outer rollers  47   b  and  48   b . Accordingly, the bill nipping position is formed in the shape of the letter “V” as described above. 
     The delivery unit  45 , as shown in  FIG. 2  (illustration is omitted in  FIG. 3 ), has impellers (striking and dropping unit)  52  and  53 , respectively, on both outsides of the outer rollers  47   a  and  47   b  and the outer rollers  48   a  and  48   b  in the lateral direction of bills S. These impellers  52  and  53  are supported by the driving shaft  50  further outside than both the outer rollers  47   b  and  48   b . A plurality of blades  55  are radially formed in each of the impellers  52  and  53 . These impellers  52  and  53  are dimensioned such that the blades  55  are made to project from the rear wall  36  towards the front wall  35  and the blades  55  do not contact the bottom wall  39  during rotation. The rear wall  36  and the top wall  40  are cut out such that they do not interfere with the blades  55  during rotation. 
     Moreover, a conveyance roller (guide means)  56   a  and a guide (guide means)  56   b , and a conveyance roller (guide means)  57   a  and a guide (guide means)  57   b  are disposed further outside than both the impellers  52  and  53 , respectively, on both outsides of the outer rollers  47   a  and  47   b  and the outer rollers  48   a  and  48   b  in the lateral direction of bills S in the delivery unit  45 . The conveyance roller  56   a  and the guide  56   b , and the conveyance roller  57   a  and the guide  57   b  guide a bill S on both the front and back sides thereof in a bill guiding position that is offset to the downside that is nearer to the bill nipping position of the intermediate rollers  46   a  and  46   b  than the bill nipping positions of two pairs of outer rollers  47   a  and  47   b  and outer rollers  48   a  and  48   b.    
     Both the conveyance rollers  56   a  and  57   a  are supported by a common driving shaft  59  disposed above the intermediate roller  46   a  and outer rollers  47   a  and  48   a . Both the guides  56   b  and  57   b  are bent in the shape of a substantially circular arc so as to extend along the outer peripheral surfaces of the conveyance rollers  56   a  and  57   a  with a predetermined clearance therefrom, and moreover, and the ends of the guides on the side of the stacking unit  32  are adapted to have the same angle of inclination as the top wall  40 . Both the guides  56   b  and  57   b  are disposed above the aforementioned driving shaft  50 . 
     In the delivery unit  45 , both the conveyance rollers  56   a  and  57   a  are fixed to the driving shaft  59 , and the conveyance rollers are rotated by rotation of the driving shaft  59  by a motor (illustration thereof is omitted) such that their guides  56   b  and  57   b  are moved towards the stacking unit  32 . The lower intermediate roller  46   b , the outer rollers  47   b  and  48   b , and the impellers  52  and  53  are fixed to the driving shaft  52 , and they are rotated by rotation of the driving shaft  50  by a motor (illustration thereof is omitted) such that their respective upper sides are moved towards the stacking unit  32 . In contrast, the upper intermediate roller  46   a  and the upper outer rollers  47   a  and  48   a  are freely rotatable, respectively, and they rotates so as to follow the rotation of the lower intermediate roller  46   b  and the lower outer rollers  47   b  and  48   b.    
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , a regulating member  70  which can engage a leading edge (hereinafter referred to as “the leading edge of a bill”), in the delivery direction (hereinafter referred to as “the bill delivery direction”), of a bill S delivered to the upper space  33  from the delivery unit  45  is disposed in the upper space  33  of the stacking unit  32 . The regulating member  70  is disposed in a position where a leading edge having a substantially middle predetermined width in the lateral direction of bills S delivered from the delivery unit  45  abuts. The regulating member  70  is supported so as to be movable in the bill delivery direction by the regulating member moving device (position changing mechanism)  71  which is disposed above the top wall  40  of the stacking unit  32  and is supported by the processor body. 
     The regulating member moving device  71  has a driving pulley  72   a  and a driven pulley  72   b  which are disposed in parallel with the conveyance rollers  56   a  and  57   a  of the delivery unit  45 , a belt  73  which is wound between the pulleys  72   a  and  72   b , and a motor  74  which rotates the driving pulley  72   a . The driving pulley  72   a  is provided with a position detecting plate  75  which is fixed coaxially to rotate synchronously, and a rotational angle sensor  76  which detects the rotational angle of the position detecting plate  75 . 
     The motor  74  and the driving pulley  72   a  are disposed nearer to a front upper portion of the processor body than the front wall  35  of the stacking unit  32 , and the driven pulley  72   b  is disposed nearer to the rear wall  36  above the top wall  40 . A portion of the belt  73  wound around both the pulley  72   a  and  72   b  travels parallel to the top wall  40  with a predetermined clearance therefrom. The regulating member  70  is attached to the belt  73  traveling along the top wall  40 . 
     The regulating member  70  has a T-shaped cross section, and its stopper  70   b  which engages the leading edge of a bill S extends perpendicularly downward from a middle portion of a supporting part  70   a  fixed to the belt  73 . The stopper  70   b  passes through an opening (illustration thereof is omitted) formed in the top wall  40  in the bill delivery direction, and projects into the upper space  33 . The regulating member  70  can be moved in the bill delivery direction by rotationally driving the driving pulley  72   a  by way of the motor  74 , thereby causing the belt  73  to travel. The rotational angle sensor  76  detects the rotational angle of the position detecting plate  75  from a predetermined reference position (initial position), and detects the position of the regulating member  70  on the basis of the detected result. That is, the position detecting plate  75  and the rotational angle sensor  76  constitute a position detector which detects the position of the regulating member  70 . 
     The stopper  70   b  of the regulating member  70  regulates the leading edge position of a bill S delivered to the upper space  33  of the stacking unit  32  from the delivery unit  45 . Accordingly, in the case where bills S, the longitudinal dimensions of which (lengths in the delivery direction) are different from one another, are conveyed to the upper space, the trailing edges of all the bills S in the bill delivery direction can be aligned along the rear wall  36 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , the bill processor  11  is provided with a control unit  63  that controls the aforementioned separating/feeding unit  20 , conveying unit  25 , discrimination unit  30 , and motor  74 , a display unit  64  which performs display for an operator, and an operation unit  65  which allows an operator to enter operational input. Electrical signals according to the detection angle of the rotational angle sensor  76  are input to the control unit  63 . 
     A case where stack processing of bills S, the longitudinal dimensions of which are different from one another, is performed in the bill processor  11  constituted in this way will be described. An operator lifts the bill press  17  of the charging unit  12 , and then loads bills S in a state where their longitudinal direction is set in the forward and backward direction of the processor body, and their longitudinal leading edges are arranged. Although both charging of mixed denominations and charging of a single denomination are allowed at this time, a case where two kinds of bills S, the longitudinal dimensions of which are different from each other, are mixed together and loaded will be described. 
     If an operator inputs a request to start processing in the operation unit  65 , the control unit  63  drives the separating/feeding unit  20  and the conveying unit  25 . Then, the bills S loaded into the charging unit  12  are fed into the processor body one by one from the lowermost bill S, and the fed bills S are conveyed by the conveying unit  25 . During conveyance of bills, determination of denomination, authenticity, normal/damaged state, and the like and counting of the bills are performed by the discrimination unit  30 . Bills S determined as acceptable are delivered to the conveying path  27 , and the other bills S are delivered to the rejection unit  13 . In addition, the bills S delivered to the rejection unit  13  can be taken out of the machine. 
     The bills S determined as acceptable are conveyed towards the stacking unit  32  by the conveyance rollers  56   a  and  57   a  and the guides  56   b  and  57   b  in the delivery unit  45  at a terminal end of the conveying path  27 . As shown in  FIGS. 2 and 4 , the bills S conveyed by the conveyance rollers  56   a  and  57   a  and the guides  56   b  and  57   b  are further delivered to the upper space  33  of the stacking unit  32  obliquely upward along the top wall  40  by the intermediate rollers  46   a  and  46   b  and the outer rollers  47   a ,  47   b ,  48   a , and  48   b.    
     During this delivery, the bills S are conveyed in their longitudinal direction while their lateral portions are guided between the intermediate roller  46   a  and  46   b , between the outer roller  48   a  and  48   b , between the outer rollers  47   a  and  47   b , between the conveyance roller  56   a  and the guide  56   b  and between the conveyance roller  57   a  and the guide  57   b . That is, a lateral intermediate position of a bill S is nipped by the intermediate rollers  46   a  and  46   b , one outer position of the bill outside the lateral intermediate position is nipped by the outer rollers  47   a  and  47   b , the other outer position of the bill outside the lateral intermediate position is nipped by the outer rollers  48   a  and  48   b , one outer position of the bill further outside the one lateral outer position is guided by the conveyance roller  56   a  and the guide  56   b , and another outer position of the bill further outside the other lateral outer position is guided and conveyed by the conveyance roller  57   a  and the guide  57   b . After the bill S continuously passes through the above rollers and guides over its entire longitudinal length, it is delivered along the top wall  40  of the upper space  33  of the stacking unit  32 . 
     The bill nipping position of the outer rollers  47   a  and  47   b  and the bill nipping position of the outer rollers  48   a  and  48   b  are offset upward from the bill nipping position of the intermediate rollers  46   a  and  46   b  of the delivery unit  45 . Accordingly, a bill S is bent substantially in the shape of the letter “V” in the lateral direction thereof. Moreover, the guiding position between the conveyance roller  56   a  and  56   b  and the guiding position between the conveyance roller  57   a  and the guide  57   b  are offset downward from the bill nipping position of the outer rollers  47   a  and  47   b  and the bill nipping position of the outer rollers  48   a  and  48   b . Accordingly, a bill S is conveyed while it is bent substantially in the shape of the letter “W” in the lateral direction thereof. The bill S is delivered to the stacking unit  32  after such gentle wavelike bending is continuously performed on the bill over its entire longitudinal length. As such, the intermediate rollers  46   a  and  46   b , the outer rollers  47   a  and  47   b , the outer rollers  48   a  and  48   b , the conveyance roller  56   a  and the guide  56   b , and the conveyance roller  57   a  and the guide  57   b  constitute a waveform forming means  58  which makes a bill S into a waveform in a direction orthogonal to its delivery direction to form a waveform. 
     Thereby, even if bills S with creases, curls, wrinkles, etc. are loaded into the charging unit  12 , the bills S can be delivered to the upper space  33  of the stacking unit  32  after being corrected, and the rigidity of the bills S can be increased to enhance straight advancement. As a result, bills S advance straight along the top wall  40  in the upper space  33  even while they are delivered from the delivery unit  45  or even immediately after they are delivered from the delivery unit  45 . 
     The denomination of bills S determined in the discrimination unit  30  and the signals from the rotational angle sensor  76  are input to the control unit  63  immediately before the bills S are delivered to the upper space  33  of the stacking unit  32  from the delivery unit  45 . On the basis of these signals, the control unit  63  drives the motor  74  to move the regulating member  70  to a position according to the longitudinal dimension (length in the bill delivery direction) of the above denomination. Since there is a time difference between the timing with which the denomination of a bill S are determined in the discrimination unit  30 , and the timing with which the bill S is delivered to the upper space  33  from the delivery unit  45 , the control unit  63  controls the motor  74  in consideration of this time difference. For this reason, a boundary between the delivery unit  45  and the stacking unit  32  is provided with a timing sensor (illustration thereof is omitted) which detects the delivery of a bill S from the delivery unit  45  to the upper space  33  and outputs the detected result to the control unit  63 . 
     A bill S is delivered to the upper space  33  of the stacking unit  32  from the delivery unit  45 , and then advances straight along the top wall  40 . Then, the leading edge of the bill is engaged by the stopper  70   b  of the regulating member  70 , whereby advancement of the bill S is checked, and the leading edge position of the bill S is regulated. Thereafter, the trailing edge of the bill S is struck and dropped downward by the blades  55  of the impellers  52  and  53 . Thereby, bills S are sequentially stacked in the bottom wall  39  while their trailing edges descend along the rear wall  36 . 
     When the leading edge of a bill S is engaged with the stopper  70   b , the bill S takes a posture of being inclined upward along the top wall  40 . Since the impellers  52  and  53  strike and drop the trailing edge of the bill S taking this posture downward by the blades  55 , the bill S drops so as to rotate downward about its trailing edge. Accordingly, engagement of the leading edge of a bill S and the stopper  70   b  of the regulating member  70  can be released smoothly. In addition, even when the top wall  40  is made to take a substantially horizontal posture, the same operational effects can be obtained. 
     As such, even when a plurality of kinds of bills S having longitudinal dimensions different from one another are mixed together and loaded into the charging unit  12 , the bills S of all the denominations determined as acceptable can be stacked with their trailing edges being arranged by the rear wall  36 . When all the bills S loaded into the charging unit  12  in this way are delivered to either the rejection unit  13  or the stacking unit  32 , the control unit  63  causes the separating/feeding unit  20  and the conveying unit  25  to stop, and causes the discrimination results of the bills S stacked in the stacking unit  32  to be displayed on the display unit  64  on the basis of the discrimination results of the discrimination unit  30 . 
     According to the bill processor  11  of the first embodiment described above, after the position of the regulating member  70  in the delivery direction according to the longitudinal dimension (length in the delivery direction) of a bill S, thereby making the leading edge of the bill S delivered from the delivery unit  45  engage the stopper  70   b  of the regulating member  70  to regulate the leading edge position, the trailing edge of the bill S can be struck and dropped by the impellers  52  and  53 . Thus, bills S having lengths in the delivery direction different from one another can be aligned and stacked in the stacking unit  32  with their trailing edges arranged. 
     Also, since the impellers  52  and  53  are made only to rotate in place, it is not necessary to move the impellers  52  and  53  in the bill delivery direction. Accordingly, the structure of the bill processor is simplified, and the impellers  52  and  53  do not make bills S deviate upstream or downstream in the delivery direction. Therefore, bills S can be stacked in the stacking unit  32  favorably. 
     Moreover, although a succeeding bill S is fed into the upper space  33  of the stacking unit  32  from the delivery unit  45  while the trailing edge of a preceding bill S is struck and dropped by the impellers  52  and  53 , stacking of the preceding bill S is not affected at all. Accordingly, even if the conveyance interval of bills S is shortened, aligning and stacking of the bills S can be performed favorably. 
     Also, since the stopper  70   b  of the regulating member  70  is made to always project downward from the top wall  40 , and the regulating member  70  is made movable in the bill delivery direction along the top wall  40 , the position of the regulating member  70  can be set freely. Accordingly, it is possible to cope with even a case where bills S have three or more kinds of longitudinal dimensions as well as the case where bills S have two kinds of longitudinal dimensions, and it is thus possible to cope with the versatility of length. It is also possible to simply cope with even a case where the length of bills S in the delivery direction is changed. 
     Moreover, the position of the regulating member  70  can be set with precision by the position detecting plate  75  and the rotational angle sensor  76 . 
     Also, the waveform forming means  58  composed of the intermediate rollers  46   a  and  46   b , the outer rollers  47   a  and  47   b , the outer rollers  48   a  and  48   b , the conveyance roller  56   a  and the guide  56   b , and the conveyance roller  57   a  and the guide  57   b  make a bill S into a waveform in a direction orthogonal to its delivery direction, and delivers the bill to the upper space  33  of the stacking unit  32 . Accordingly, the rigidity of a bill is increased, and a bill S delivered from the delivery unit  45  can be positively made to advance straight along the top wall  40 . As a result, the leading edge of a bill S can be positively made to engage the stopper  70   b  of the regulating member  70 . 
     Moreover, since a bill S delivered from the delivery unit  45  is made to engage the stopper  70   b  at its leading edge in a posture of being inclined downward along the top wall  40 , the bill S drops so as to rotate downward about the trailing edge thereof when the trailing edge of the bill S is struck and dropped downward by the blades  55  of the impellers  52  and  53 . Accordingly, engagement of the leading edge of a bill S and the stopper  70   b  can be released smoothly. 
     In addition, in the delivery unit  45 , the waveform forming means  58  may be constituted by only nipping by a pair of the intermediate rollers  46   a  and  46   b  and nipping by two pairs of the outer rollers  47   a  and  47   b  and the outer rollers  48   a  and  48   b . Even in this case, a bill S can be bent in the shape of the letter “V” in the delivery direction thereof. Thus, creases, etc. can be corrected, the rigidity of a bill S can be increased, and straight advancement of a bill when being delivered from the delivery unit  45  can be increased. 
     Next, a bill processor of a second embodiment of the invention will be described below with reference to  FIG. 5 . 
       FIG. 5  is a side sectional view showing a portion around the delivery unit  45  and the stacking unit  32  in the bill processor  11  of the second embodiment. In this drawing, the same parts as those of the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof is omitted. Hereinafter, points of difference will now be described. In addition, although the delivery unit  45  including the waveform forming means  58  and impellers  52  and  53  is provided at a terminal end of the conveying path  27  of the bill processor  11  of the second embodiment similarly to the first embodiment,  FIG. 5  shows only the outer rollers  48   a  and  48   b  and impellers  52  and  53  for convenience of illustration. 
     The stacking unit  32  is the same as that of the first embodiment in that it includes the front wall  35 , the rear wall  36 , the pair of side walls  37 , the bottom wall  39 , and the top wall  40 , and the top wall  40  is installed in such an inclined posture that it rises slightly with respect to the horizontal plane towards the front of the delivery direction. In the second embodiment, the bottom wall  39  is disposed horizontally and is supported so that it can be raised and lowered by an elevating unit  66 . 
     Moreover, the bill processor  11  of the second embodiment includes, as a regulating member which engages the leading edge of a bill S delivered to the upper space  33  of the stacking unit  32  from the delivery unit  45 , a first regulating member  80 A fixed to an end of the top wall  40  on the side of the front wall  35 , and a second regulating member  80 B capable of being protruded into or retracted from the upper space  33  through an opening  40   a  formed in an end of the top wall  40  on the side of the front wall  35 . 
     The first regulating member  80 A is provided over almost the entire width of the top wall  40  in a direction orthogonal to the bill delivery direction. The second regulating member  80 B is disposed at a position where a leading edge of bills S, which are delivered from the delivery unit  45 , abuts. The leading edge of bills S abuts against the second regulating member  80 B at a substantially middle predetermined width in the lateral direction of bills S. The regulating member  80 B is supported so as to be rockable in an up-and-down direction by a regulating member rocking device  81  which is disposed above the top wall  40 . 
     The regulating member rocking device  81  includes a driving unit  82  supported by the processor body above a middle portion of the top wall  40  in the anteroposterior direction of the processor body, a pivot  83  capable of rotating forwardly and reversely by a given angle by way of the driving unit  82 , and an arm  84  having a base fixed to the pivot  83  and having a tip extended towards the front side of the processor body. Driving of the driving unit  82  is controlled by a control unit (illustration thereof is omitted). When the pivot  83  is rotated forwardly (clockwise direction in  FIG. 5 ) by way of the driving unit  82 , the arm  84  rocks upward about the pivot  83 , and when the pivot  83  is made to rotate reversely (in the counterclockwise direction in  FIG. 5 ), the arm  84  rocks downward about the pivot  83 . The driving unit  82  can be constituted by, for example, a rotary solenoid. The regulating member rocking device  81 , the arm  84 , etc. constitute a position changing mechanism for the regulating member. 
     The tip  85  of the arm  84  is bent substantially perpendicularly downward, and the second regulating member  80 B is fixed to the tip  85 . As shown by two-dot and dashed lines in  FIG. 5 , when the pivot  83  is made to rotate forwardly, the tip  85  of the arm  84  and the second regulating member  80 B are located above the top wall  40  above the opening  40   a . When the pivot  83  is made to rotate reversely, the tip  85  of the arm  84  and the second regulating member  80 B are protruded into the upper space  33  of the stacking unit  32  through the opening  40   a , and at the end point of the protrusion, the second regulating member  80 B perpendicularly intersects the top wall  40 . 
     According to the bill processor  11  of the second embodiment configured in this way, bills S having two kinds of longitudinal dimensions can be aligned and stacked with their trailing edges in the longitudinal direction arranged. Hereinafter, this operation of the bill processor will be described. 
     Even in the bill processor  11  of the second embodiment, determination of denomination, authenticity, normal/damaged state, and the like of bills S, and counting of the bills are performed by a discrimination unit (illustration thereof is omitted) while they are conveyed by the delivery unit  45 , the bills S determined as acceptable are delivered to the conveying path  27 , and the other bills S are delivered to the rejection unit (illustration thereof is omitted) similar to the first embodiment. 
     The bills S discriminated as acceptable are delivered to the upper space  33  of the stacking unit  32  obliquely upward along the top wall  40  from the delivery unit  45  at the end of the conveying path  27 . When a bill S is delivered from the delivery unit  45 , the waveform forming means  58  of the delivery unit  45  makes the bill S into a waveform in a direction orthogonal to its delivery direction, thereby forming a waveform. Accordingly, after creases, curls, wrinkles, etc. of the bills S are corrected, they can be delivered to the upper space  33  of the stacking unit  32  and the rigidity of the bills S can be increased to enhance straight advancement. As a result, bills S advance straight along the top wall  40  in the upper space  33  even while they are delivered from the delivery unit  45  or even immediately after they are delivered from the delivery unit  45 . 
     Also, the control unit controls the driving unit  82  according to the denomination of bills S identified in the discrimination unit immediately before the bills S are delivered to the upper space  33  of the stacking unit  32  from the delivery unit  45 . 
     That is, when the discrimination unit determines that a bill S delivered from the delivery unit  45  is a bill S with a long longitudinal dimension, the control unit controls the driving unit  82  so that the pivot  83  may rotate forwardly, thereby rocking the arm  84  upward and retracting the second regulating member  80 B above the opening  40   a . Also, when the discrimination unit determines that a bill S delivered from the delivery unit  45  is a bill S with a short longitudinal dimension, the control unit controls the driving unit  82  so that the pivot  83  may rotate reversely, thereby rocking the arm  84  downward and protruding the second regulating member  80 B into the upper space  33  through the opening  40   a . That is, the position of the regulating member is changed according to the longitudinal dimension (length in the bill delivery direction) of the denomination of bills S. 
     A bill S is delivered to the upper space  33  of the stacking unit  32  from the delivery unit  45 , and advances straight along the top wall  40 . In the case of a bill S with a long longitudinal dimension, its leading edge is engaged with the first regulating member  80 A whereby advancement of the bill is checked, and the leading edge position of the bill is regulated. In the case of a bill S with a short longitudinal dimension, its leading edge is engaged with the second regulating member  80 B whereby advancement of the bill is checked, and the leading edge position of the bill is regulated. Thereafter, as the trailing edge of the bill S is struck and dropped downward by the blades  55  of the impellers  52  and  53 , the bill S descends while its trailing edges runs along the rear wall  36 , and is sequentially stacked on the bottom wall  39  upward from the bottom. 
     In a case where the arm  84  has rocked downward when a preceding bill S with a long longitudinal dimension is located along the top wall  40  with its leading edge being engaged with the first regulating member  80 A, the tip  85  of the arm  84  and the second regulating member  80 B push the leading edge of the preceding bill S downward. Thus, delivery of a succeeding bill S with a short longitudinal dimension will not be affected. 
     Even in the bill processor  11  of the second embodiment, when the leading edge of a bill S is engaged with the first regulating member  80 A or second regulating member  80 B, the bill S takes a posture of being inclined upward along the top wall  40 . Since the blades  55  of the impellers  52  and  53  strike and drop the trailing edge of the bill S taking this posture downward, the bill S drops so as to rotate downward about its trailing edge. Accordingly, engagement of the leading edge of a bill S and the first regulating member  80 A or second regulating member  80 B can be released smoothly. In addition, even when the top wall  40  is made to take a substantially horizontal posture, the same operational effects can be obtained. 
     Accordingly, even when bills S with two kinds of longitudinal dimensions are mixedly conveyed, the bills S of all the denominations determined as acceptable can be aligned and stacked with their trailing edges arranged along the rear wall  36 . 
     According to the bill processor  11  of the second embodiment described above, the position of a regulating member (first regulating member  80 A or second regulating member  80 B) in the delivery direction is changed by causing the second regulating member  80 B to be protruded or retracted according to the longitudinal dimension (length in the delivery direction) of bills S. In a state where a bill S delivered from the delivery unit  45  is made to engage the first regulating member  80 A or second regulating member  80 B, and thereby the leading edge position of the bill is regulated, the trailing edge of the bill S can be struck and dropped by the blades  55  of the impellers  52  and  53 . Accordingly, bills having different lengths in the delivery direction can be aligned and stacked in the stacking unit  32  with their trailing edges arranged. 
     Even in the bill processor  11  of the second embodiment, the impellers  52  and  53  are made only to rotate in place. Thus, it is not necessary to move the impellers  52  and  53  in the bill delivery direction. Accordingly, the structure of the bill processor is simplified, and the impellers  52  and  53  do not move bills S to the upstream or downstream in the delivery direction. Therefore, bills S can be favorably stacked in the stacking unit  32 . 
     Moreover, although a succeeding bill S is fed into the upper space  33  of the stacking unit  32  from the delivery unit  45  while the trailing edge of a preceding bill S is struck and dropped by the impellers  52  and  53 , stacking of the preceding bill S is not affected at all. Accordingly, even if the conveyance interval of bills S is shortened, aligning and stacking of the bills S can be performed favorably. 
     In the aforementioned example, the case where bills S have two kinds of longitudinal dimensions has been described. However, it is possible to cope with even bills S with three or more kinds of longitudinal dimensions by providing a plurality of arms  84  that are made different in length from one another and are rockable independently, and by providing a regulating member in the tip  85  of each of the arms  84 . 
     Also, a waveform forming part of the delivery unit  45  makes a bill S into a waveform in a direction orthogonal to its delivery direction, and delivers the bill to the upper space  33  of the stacking unit  32  from the delivery unit  45 . Accordingly, the rigidity of a bill is increased, and a bill S delivered from the delivery unit  45  can be positively made to advance straight along the top wall  40 . As a result, the leading edge of a bill S can be positively made to engage the first regulating member  80 A or second regulating member  80 B. 
     Moreover, a bill S delivered from the delivery unit  45  is made to engage the first regulating member  80 A or second regulating member  80 B at its leading edge in a posture of being inclined upward along the top wall  40 . Accordingly, when the blades  55  of the impellers  52  and  53  strike and drop the trailing edge of the bill S taking this posture downward, the bill S drops so as to rotate downward about its trailing edge. As a result, engagement of the leading edge of a bill S and the first regulating member  80 A or second regulating member  80 B can be released smoothly. 
     In addition, the invention is not limited to the aforementioned embodiments. 
     For example, in the bill processor  11  of the first embodiment, the bottom wall  39  of the stacking unit  32  may be supported in an ascending and descending manner. 
     The invention can also be applied to stacking of bills S in the rejection unit  13 . The bill processor of the invention can also be applied to a bill processor which performs various kinds of processing, such as a counting process which counts and returns loose bills S, a receiving and depositing process which counts, receives and deposits loose bills S, and a disbursement process which disburses the bills S received.