Patent Publication Number: US-2016221779-A1

Title: Paper sheet taking-out and separating device and paper sheet handling apparatus

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE RELATED TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/615,604 filed on Feb. 6, 2015, which is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from the prior Japanese Patent Application No. 2014-022173, filed on Feb. 7, 2014, the entire contents of both of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD 
     An embodiment of the present invention relates to a paper sheet taking-out and separating device and a paper sheet handling apparatus. 
     BACKGROUND 
     A paper sheet taking-out and separating device has been known which includes a take-out part sucking and sending out a paper sheet by movement of a take-out belt having a suction hole and a separation part provided on the opposite side of a paper sheet to be sent out by the take-out part from the take-out part for separating two sheets sent out in an overlapping manner. 
     The paper sheet taking-out and separating device unfortunately causes conveyance problems such as jam if a paper sheet buckles between the take-out part and the separation part when, for example, the paper sheet is soft or the separating action of the separation part is strong. Accordingly, a paper sheet taking-out and separating device is desired to prevent buckling of a paper sheet and conveyance problems while appropriately preventing sending out two paper sheets in an overlapping manner. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view showing the configuration of a paper sheet handling apparatus according to an embodiment. 
         FIG. 2  is a plan view showing the configuration of a paper sheet taking-out and separating device according to the embodiment. 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view showing a partial configuration of the paper sheet taking-out and separating device according to the embodiment. 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view showing a plurality of paper sheets placed at a supply part of the paper sheet taking-out and separating device according to the embodiment. 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view showing the configuration of a valve unit of the paper sheet taking-out and separating device according to the embodiment. 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view showing the configuration of a body block of the valve unit of the paper sheet taking-out and separating device according to the embodiment. 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view showing the configuration of a valve member of the valve unit of the paper sheet taking-out and separating device according to the embodiment. 
         FIG. 8  is a cutaway, cross-sectional view showing the body block in the valve unit of the paper sheet taking-out and separating device according to the embodiment. 
         FIG. 9  is a perspective view showing the configuration of a double feed prevention block of the paper sheet taking-out and separating device according to the embodiment. 
         FIG. 10  is a plan view showing an exemplary case where a first take-out part and a second take-out part of the paper sheet taking-out and separating device according to the embodiment switch from an on state to an off state. 
         FIG. 11  is a perspective view showing a partial configuration of a paper sheet taking-out and separating device according to a first modification of the embodiment. 
         FIG. 12  is a perspective view showing the configuration of a body block in a valve unit of the paper sheet taking-out and separating device according to the first modification of the embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
     A paper sheet taking-out and separating device according to an embodiment includes a first take-out part, a guide part, a second take-out part and a separation part. The first take-out part takes, by suction, a forefront paper sheet out of a plurality of stacked paper sheets and sends out the paper sheet toward a sending-out direction. The guide part is provided on a downstream side of the first take-out part in the sending-out direction and guides the sending out of the paper sheet by the first take-out part. The second take-out part is provided on the downstream side of the guide part in the sending-out direction and the second take-out part sucks the paper sheet sent out by the first take-out part and sends out the paper sheet toward the sending-out direction. The separation part is provided on the downstream side of the guide part in the sending-out direction and the separation part separates a plurality of the paper sheets sent out in an overlapping manner by the first take-out part. The first take-out part and the second take-out part are positioned spaced apart from each other on opposite sides of the guide part with a predetermined distance therebetween in the sending-out direction. 
     Hereinafter, a paper sheet taking-out and separating device and a paper sheet handling apparatus of an embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , a paper sheet handling apparatus  1  of the embodiment includes a control part  1   a , a supply part  2 , a take-out and separation part  3 , a main conveyance passage  4 , an examination part  5 , a conveyance sorting part  6 , gap correction parts  7 , and a classification box  8 . The control part  1   a  totally controls the operation of the paper sheet handling apparatus  1 . The supply part  2  holds a plurality of stacked paper sheets such as letters in an upright position where the sheets are erected substantially perpendicular to a horizontal plane and moves the sheets in the stacking direction. Thus, the supply part  2  supplies a plurality of paper sheets at the front end side in the stacking direction to the take-out and separation part  3 . The take-out and separation part  3  sucks and takes a paper sheet at the forefront in the stacking direction out of the paper sheets supplied by the supply part  2  and sends out the taken out paper sheet to the main conveyance passage  4 . The examination part  5  reads classification information provided on the paper sheet. The conveyance sorting part  6  sorts paper sheets into vertically provided four conveyance passages. 
     The gap correction parts  7  are each provided immediately after the take-out and separation part  3 , on an upstream portion of the conveyance sorting part  6 , and immediately after the conveyance sorting part  6 . The gap correction parts  7  correct an interval (gap) between any two paper sheets adjacent one behind the other in the conveyance direction so that the interval falls within a predetermined interval. The classification box  8  has four levels in a vertical direction. The classification box  8  accumulates paper sheets conveyed by the main conveyance passage  4  and the conveyance sorting part  6  as the sheets are classified according to their classification information. 
     The paper sheet taking-out and separating device  10  includes the supply part  2 , the take-out and separation part  3 , and the main conveyance passage  4 .  FIG. 2  is a plan view from above of the paper sheet taking-out and separating device  10 .  FIG. 3  is a perspective view showing a portion of the paper sheet taking-out and separating device  10 . As shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the supply part  2  includes a flat bottom wall  21   a , a guide wall  21   b  provided to rise substantially vertically from the bottom wall  21   a . A plurality of stacked paper sheets are placed on the bottom wall  21   a  in the upright position at the supply part  2 . Also, the supply part  2  holds the paper sheets stacked in a supply direction A toward the take-out and separation part  3 . The supply part  2  guides the movement of the paper sheets moving toward the supply direction A with the guide wall  21   b  contacting each end of the paper sheets. 
     The supply part  2  includes a main belt  22   a  and a sub-belt  22   b  which are provided on the bottom wall  21   a , and a back-up plate  23  which moves toward the supply direction A on the bottom wall  21   a . The main belt  22   a  and the sub-belt  22   b  contact each end of the paper sheets placed on the bottom wall  21   a  and are separately driven toward the supply direction A. As a result, the main belt  22   a  moves the paper sheets placed on the bottom wall  21   a  toward the supply direction A and the sub-belt  22   b  adjusts the attitude of each of the paper sheets. The back-up plate  23  contacts a paper sheet at the rearmost in the supply direction A among the stacked paper sheets and moves synchronously with the driving of the main belt  22   a , pushing the paper sheets toward the supply direction A. As a result, the back-up plate  23  moves the paper sheets placed on the bottom wall  21   a  toward the supply direction A. 
     As shown in  FIG. 4 , in the paper sheet taking-out and separating device  10  of the embodiment, the bottom wall  21   a  of the supply part  2  forms a horizontal plane and the guide wall  21   b  forms a vertical plane orthogonal to the horizontal plane. Each paper sheet with a rectangular surface is supported at a long side downward in the vertical direction by a surface of the bottom wall  21   a  forming the horizontal plane. Each paper sheet is placed with the long sides in parallel with a horizontal direction and with the short side toward a sending-out direction B of the take-out and separation part  3  to be described later abutting the guide wall  21   b . As a result, the paper sheets are placed at the supply part  2  with their long sides downward in the vertical direction aligned by the bottom wall  21   a  and with their short sides toward the sending-out direction B (namely, ends in the sending-out direction B) aligned by the guide wall  21   b.    
     The take-out and separation part  3  includes an auxiliary take-out part  31 , a main take-out part  32 , and a separation part  33 . The auxiliary take-out part  31  is positioned on the upstream side of the main take-out part  32  in the sending-out direction B parallel with the horizontal direction. The auxiliary take-out part  31  includes a sub air chamber  31   a  connected to a negative pressure generator (not shown, the suction side of a blower, for example) and a suction belt  31   b  driven by a drive motor (not shown, a step motor, for example). The sub air chamber  31   a  is provided with an auxiliary guide plate  31   d  having a plurality of openings  31   c  facing the supply part  2 . The auxiliary guide plate  31   d  is formed in a rectangular plate shape and allows the openings  31   c  to communicate with the inside of the sub air chamber  31   a . As a result, a negative pressure (a pressure lower than atmospheric pressure) is applied to the openings  31   c  of the auxiliary guide plate  31   d . The auxiliary guide plate  31   d  guides the movement of the suction belt  31   b  toward the sending-out direction B. 
     The suction belt  31   b  is an endless belt with a plurality of suction holes  31   e  and positioned such that at least a partial region of the belt  31   b  overlaps a portion of the auxiliary guide plate  31   d . The suction holes  31   e  of the suction belt  31   b  communicate with at least portion of the openings  31   c  of the auxiliary guide plate  31   d  at the region where the suction belt  31   b  overlaps the auxiliary guide plate  31   d . As a result, a negative pressure is applied to the suction holes  31   e  of the suction belt  31   b  by the sub air chamber  31   a  through the openings  31   c . The suction belt  31   b  is opposed at the region overlapping the auxiliary guide plate  31   d  to the paper sheets held by the supply part  2  in the supply direction A and moves toward the sending-out direction B. Thus, when a negative pressure is applied to the suction holes  31   e , the suction belt  31   b  takes, by suction, a paper sheet at the forefront in the supply direction A out of a plurality of paper sheets supplied by the supply part  2 . Then, the suction belt  31   b  sends out the paper sheet taken out by suction toward the sending-out direction B at a predetermined speed. 
     It is to be noted that the predetermined speed of the suction belt  31   b  is made slower than the speed of a take-out belt  43  to be described later. As a result, the auxiliary take-out part  31  takes, by suction, a first paper sheet out of the supply part  2  and sends out the first paper sheet to the main take-out part  32 . The auxiliary take-out part  31  takes out a second paper sheet by suction after the back end of the first sheet passes the sub air chamber  31   a . Then, the auxiliary take-out part  31  sends out the second paper sheet to the main take-out part  32  at a speed slower than the speed at which the first paper sheet is sent by the main take-out part  32  toward the sending-out direction B. This provides an interval equal to or larger than the predetermined interval between the first paper sheet and the second paper sheet in the sending-out direction B, thereby eliminating the overlap between the first and second paper sheets. 
     The main take-out part  32  is positioned on the downstream side of the auxiliary take-out part  31  in the sending-out direction B. Referring to  FIGS. 5, 6, and 8 , the main take-out part  32  includes an air chamber  41 , a valve unit  42  integrally provided with the air chamber  41 , and the take-out belt  43  driven by a drive motor (not shown, a step motor, for example). 
     The valve unit  42  includes a body block  51  having an opposing face  51 A which opposes a plurality of paper sheets held by the supply part  2  in the supply direction A, as shown in  FIGS. 2 to 8 . Referring to  FIGS. 5, 6, and 8 , the valve unit  42  includes the air chamber  41  formed by a recess  51   a  provided on the opposing face  51 A. The body block  51  has a first air hole (negative pressure side air hole)  52  and a second air hole (positive pressure side air hole)  53  which independently penetrate the body block  51  at the recess  51   a . First ends  52   a  and  53   a  of the first and second air holes  52  and  53  are connected to the recess  51   a  to be opened to the inside of the air chamber  41 . Thus, the first and second air holes  52  and  53  communicate with the inside of the air chamber  41 . Referring to  FIG. 8 , a second end  52   b  of the first air hole  52  is connected to a negative pressure port  55   a  of a vacuum pump  55  through a pipe fitting  54   a . A second end  53   b  of the second air hole  53  is connected to a positive pressure port  55   b  of the vacuum pump  55  through a pipe fitting  54   b.    
     Referring to  FIG. 8 , the body block  51  has a through hole  56  intersecting the first and second air holes  52  and  53  at the inside of the body block  51  and penetrating the center of the body block  51 . The body block  51  includes a shaft-shaped valve member  58  inserted through the through hole  56  and rotatably supported by bearings  57   a  and  57   b . Referring to  FIGS. 7 and 8 , the valve member  58  has first and second communication holes  58   a  and  58   b  respectively having the same size as the first and second air holes  52  and  53  and penetrating the valve member  58  in the direction orthogonal to the rotation axis of the valve member  58 . The first and second communication holes  58   a  and  58   b  are provided at positions that allow connection to the first and second air holes  52  and  53 . The penetration directions of the first and second communication holes  58   a  and  58   b  intersect with each other at a predetermined angle (90 degrees, for example). Referring to  FIG. 7 , the valve member  58  is connected to a drive motor  59   b  such as an AC servomotor through a coupling  59   a  and rotatably driven by the drive motor  59   b . Thus, as the valve member  58  is rotatably driven by the drive motor  59   b , the valve member  58  switches between a first state where the first air hole  52  communicates with the first communication hole  58   a  while the second air hole  53  is blocked and a second state where the first air hole  52  is blocked while the second air hole  53  communicates with the second communication hole  58   b.    
     The valve member  58  is provided with a sensor  60  detecting a rotational position around the rotation axis. The sensor  60  includes a plate-shaped sensor dog  60   a  provided integrally with the valve member  58  and first and second photoelectric sensors  60   b  and  60   c . The first photoelectric sensor  60   b  is positioned such that the sensor dog  60   a  in the first state blocks light from a light source. The second photoelectric sensor  60   c  is positioned such that the sensor dog  60   a  in the second state blocks light from the light source. Thus, the first and second photoelectric sensors  60   b  and  60   c  separately detect the first and second states switched by the valve member  58 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 2, 3, 5, and 8 , the valve unit  42  includes a rectangular plate-shaped main guide plate  61  attached to the opposing face  51 A of the body block  51 . The main guide plate  61  guides the movement of the take-out belt  43  toward the sending-out direction B. The main guide plate  61  has a plurality of first openings  62  and a plurality of second openings  63 . The first openings  62  and the second openings  63  communicate with the air chamber  41 . The first openings  62  and the second openings  63  are positioned with a predetermined interval in the sending-out direction B and also on opposite sides of the guide wall  21   b  of the supply part  2 . Each of a negative pressure and a positive pressure is applied at substantially the same time to the first openings  62  and the second openings  63  through the air chamber  41  depending on the first state and the second state switched by the valve member  58 . The negative pressure is lower than atmospheric pressure and the positive pressure is higher than atmospheric pressure. The above substantially the same time means the same time or within a predetermined time width from the same time. 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , the take-out belt  43  is an endless belt having a plurality of suction holes  43   a  formed uniformly over the entire region and is wound around a plurality of pulleys (not shown) including two pulleys  64   a  and  64   b  positioned on opposite sides of the valve unit  42  in the sending-out direction B. The take-out belt  43  is positioned such that at least a partial region of the belt  31   b  overlaps the main guide plate  61 . The suction holes  43   a  of the take-out belt  43  communicates with the first openings  62  and the second openings  63  of the main guide plate  61  at the region where the belt  43  overlaps the plate  61 . As a result, the first openings  62  of the main guide plate  61  and the take-out belt  43  constitute the first take-out part  65 , and the second openings  63  of the main guide plate  61  and the take-out belt  43  constitute the second take-out part  66 . 
     In the first take-out part  65 , the air chamber  41  applies a negative pressure or a positive pressure to the suction holes  43   a  of the take-out belt  43  through the first openings  62 . Also, in the second take-out part  66 , the air chamber  41  applies a negative pressure or a positive pressure to the suction hole  43   a  of the take-out belt  43  through the second openings  63 . In each of the first take-out part  65  and the second take-out part  66 , the region of the take-out belt  43  overlapping the main guide plate  61  moves toward the sending-out direction B. In the first take-out part  65 , the region of the take-out belt  43  overlapping the main guide plate  61  is opposed to a plurality of paper sheets held by the supply part  2  in the supply direction A. Accordingly, when a negative pressure is applied to the suction holes  43   a  in the first take-out part  65 , the take-out belt  43  takes out, by suction, a paper sheet supplied by the supply part  2  toward the supply direction A and sent out by the auxiliary take-out part  31  toward the sending-out direction B. Then, the take-out belt  43  sends out the paper sheet taken out by suction toward the sending-out direction B at a speed higher than the speed at the auxiliary take-out part  31 . At that time, the guide wall  21   b  of the supply part  2  guides the sending out of the paper sheet by the take-out belt  43  of the first take-out part  65  toward the sending-out direction B. 
     Further, when a negative pressure is applied to the suction holes  43   a  of the take-out belt  43  in the second take-out part  66 , the take-out belt  43  takes out, by suction, a paper sheet sent out by the first take-out part  65  toward the sending-out direction B beyond the guide wall  21   b  of the supply part  2 . Then, the take-out belt  43  sends out the paper sheet taken out by suction toward the sending-out direction B to the separation part  33 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , the separation part  33  is positioned on the downstream side of the guide wall  21   b  of the supply part  2  in the sending-out direction B and on the opposite side of the main take-out part  32  regarding paper sheets sent out by the main take-out part  32  toward the sending-out direction B from the main take-out part  32 . The separation part  33  includes a double feed prevention block  71  opposing the take-out belt  43  of the main take-out part  32  with a predetermined distance. The double feed prevention block  71  is made of an elastic material such as urethane rubber (rubber material). As shown in  FIG. 9 , the double feed prevention block  71  has an arc-shaped end surface  71 A facing the main take-out part  32 . The double feed prevention block  71  has a suction aperture  72  which is formed on the end surface  71 A and to which a negative pressure is applied by a negative pressure generator (not shown, a vacuum pump, for example). In case where the take-out belt  43  of the first take-out part  65  takes out a plurality of sheets at a time, the double feed prevention block  71  stops, by suction, the paper sheet closest to the double feed prevention block  71 , thereby preventing simultaneously sending a plurality of paper sheets to the gap correction part  7 . 
     The suction aperture  72  of the separation part  33  is positioned on the downstream side of the upstream side ends of the second openings  63  of the second take-out part  66  in the sending-out direction B. As a result, a paper sheet is sent out from the guide wall  21   b  of the supply part  2  to the separation part  33  toward the sending-out direction B without overlapping another paper sheet and reaches the separation part  33  as the sheet is sucked by the take-out belt  43  of the second take-out part  66 . 
     In the paper sheet handling apparatus  1  of the embodiment, the gap correction parts  7  together with various conveyance belts and rollers (not shown) partially constitute a conveyance mechanism  80  conveying paper sheets. As shown in  FIG. 2 , the gap correction part  7  is positioned on the downstream side of the separation part  33  in the sending-out direction B. As shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the gap correction part  7  includes a sponge roller  81  and a drive roller  82  opposed to each other across the main conveyance passage  4 . The sponge roller  81  is an elastic soft roller and is deformed according to a change in the thickness of a paper sheet being conveyed through the main conveyance passage  4 . The drive roller  82  is rotatably driven by a drive motor (not shown, an AC servomotor, for example) and changes the speed to convey paper sheets by acceleration and deceleration of the rotation. Thus, when a paper sheet caught between the sponge roller  81  and the drive roller  82  and a paper sheet preceding in the conveyance direction have an interval (gap) smaller than a preset value, the gap correction part  7  decelerates the paper sheet conveying speed to widen the interval. On the other hand, when a paper sheet caught between the sponge roller  81  and the drive roller  82  and a paper sheet preceding in the conveyance direction have an interval (gap) larger than a preset value, the gap correction part  7  accelerates the paper sheet conveying speed to narrow the interval. 
     As shown in  FIG. 10 , the paper sheet taking-out and separating device  10  of the embodiment is provided with a plurality of, for example five, shift sensors of first to fifth shift sensors  91  to  95 , in a region from the downstream side of the guide wall  21   b  of the supply part  2  to the gap correction part  7  in the paper sheet sending-out direction B. The first shift sensor  91  is positioned between the guide wall  21   b  of the supply part  2  and the separation part  33 . The second to fourth shift sensors  92  to  94  are positioned in sequence between the separation part  33  and the gap correction part  7 . The fifth shift sensor  95  is positioned on the downstream side of the gap correction part  7 . Each of the first to fifth shift sensors  91  to  95  has a light-emitting part and a light-receiving part opposed to each other. The light-emitting part and the light-receiving part are positioned on opposite sides of the main conveyance passage  4  so that light from the light-emitting part crosses the main conveyance passage  4 . Irradiation light from each light-emitting part is received by the corresponding light-receiving part without any obstruction and is made to be temporarily blocked by a paper sheet being conveyed through the main conveyance passage  4 . With this, the first to fifth shift sensors  91  to  95  output an OFF signal indicating that a paper sheet is present on the axis of the irradiation light from the light-emitting part when the reception of the irradiation light by the light-receiving part is interrupted. On the other hand, the sensors  91  to  95  output an ON signal indicating that a paper sheet is not present on the axis of the irradiation light from the light-emitting part when the light-receiving part has received the irradiation light. The first to fifth shift sensors  91  to  95  are connected to the control part  1   a . Accordingly, an ON signal and an OFF signal from each of the shift sensors  91  to  95  is input to the control part  1   a.    
     Hereinafter, the operation of the paper sheet taking-out and separating device  10  of the embodiment will be described. The control part  1   a  controls the switching between the first state and the second state by the valve member  58  of the main take-out part  32  corresponding to the ON or OFF signal from the first to fifth shift sensors  91  to  95 . When at least any one of the first to fifth shift sensors  91  to  95  has output an ON signal, the control part  1   a  determines that there is an interval (gap) equal to or larger than the predetermined interval between a paper sheet and a following sheet. For example, as shown in the upper view of  FIG. 10 , when the first shift sensor  91  has output an ON signal, the control part  1   a  determines that a first paper sheet P 1  and a following second paper sheet P 2  are spaced apart from each other between the guide wall  21   b  of the supply part  2  and the separation part  33 . In response to this, the control part  1   a  switches from the second state to the first state through the valve member  58  and applies a negative pressure to the first openings  62  of the first take-out part  65  and the second openings  63  of the second take-out part  66  through the air chamber  41 . As a result, the control part  1   a  turns the first take-out part  65  and the second take-out part  66  into the on state which enables the suction of a paper sheet. Then, the take-out belt  43  of the main take-out part  32  starts suctioning the second paper sheet P 2  which is then sent out toward the sending-out direction B. 
     In addition, when the third shift sensor  93  positioned at the front of the conveyance mechanism  80  in the sending-out direction B has output an OFF signal, the control part  1   a  determines that a paper sheet has arrived at a point at which the sheet is passed from the main take-out part  32  to the conveyance mechanism  80 . For example, as shown in the lower view of  FIG. 10 , when the second paper sheet P 2  undergoing suctioning and sending out by the take-out belt  43  of the main take-out part  32  reaches a point on the optical axis of the third shift sensor  93 , the control part  1   a  switches from the first state to the second state through the valve member  58 . With this, the control part  1   a  applies a positive pressure to the first openings  62  of the first take-out part  65  and the second openings  63  of the second take-out part  66  through the air chamber  41 , turning the first and second take-out parts  65  and  66  into the off state which disables the suction of a paper sheet. Accordingly, the take-out belt  43  of the main take-out part  32  releases the suction of the second paper sheet P 2  and passes the second paper sheet P 2  to the conveyance mechanism  80  on the downstream side. It is to be noted that, as shown in the lower view of  FIG. 10 , even if the second paper sheet P 2  has been taken out with a third paper sheet P 3  overlapping the second paper sheet P 2  by the take-out belt  43  of the main take-out part  32 , the sending out of the third paper sheet P 3 , which is closer to the separation part  33 , is suspended by the separation part  33 . The third paper sheet P 3  will be sent out by the take-out belt  43  of the main take-out part  32  after the second paper sheet P 2  is passed to the conveyance mechanism  80  and an interval equal to or larger than the predetermined interval is formed between the sheets P 2  and P 3 . 
     According to the above described embodiment, because of the first and second take-out parts  65  and  66  positioned spaced apart from each other on opposite sides of the guide wall  21   b  with a predetermined distance therebetween in the paper sheet sending-out direction B, it is appropriately prevented that a plurality of paper sheets are sent out in an overlapping manner. That is, a paper sheet in the supply part  2  is taken out as it is sucked by the first take-out part  65  at a point on the upstream side of the guide wall  21   b  in the sending-out direction B. Accordingly, even if a plurality of paper sheets are stacked and placed as they are not aligned along the guide wall  21   b  and a forefront paper sheet is misaligned to the upstream side of the guide wall  21   b , only the forefront paper sheet is appropriately sucked by the first take-out part  65 . Further, because of the first and second take-out parts  65  and  66  positioned spaced apart from each other on opposite sides of the guide wall  21   b  with a predetermined distance therebetween in the paper sheet sending-out direction B, buckling of paper sheets and conveyance problems are prevented. That is, after a paper sheet is sent out by the first take-out part  65  to the downstream side of the guide wall  21   b  in the sending-out direction B, the sheet is sucked by the second take-out part  66  to be sent out toward the sending-out direction B. With this, even if a paper sheet is sucked by the separation part on the downstream side of the guide wall  21   b  in the sending-out direction B, the second take-out part  66  appropriately keeps sending out the paper sheet toward the sending-out direction B. 
     Further, because the second openings  63  of the second take-out part  66  has the ends positioned on the upstream side of the suction aperture  72  of the separation part  33  in the sending-out direction B, buckling of paper sheets and conveyance problems are prevented. That is, after a paper sheet is sent out toward the sending-out direction B from the guide wall  21   b  of the supply part  2  toward the separation part  33 , the sheet reaches the separation part  33  as the sheet is sucked by the second take-out part  66 , which appropriately keeps sending out the sheet toward the sending-out direction B. Further, because of the first and second take-out parts  65  and  66  turned, substantially at the same time, into the on state which enables the suction of a paper sheet, sending out paper sheets toward the sending-out direction B is appropriately kept, and buckling of paper sheets and conveyance problems are prevented. Further, because of the first and second take-out parts  65  and  66  switched from the on state to the off state substantially at the same time when a front end of a paper sheet in the sending-out direction B reaches the front of the conveyance mechanism  80 , a paper sheet is smoothly passed from the main take-out part  32  to the conveyance mechanism  80 . Further, because of the first and second take-out parts  65  and  66  switched from the off state to the on state substantially at the same time when any two paper sheets adjacent one behind the other in the sending-out direction B have an interval therebetween equal to or larger than the predetermined interval, a plurality of paper sheets are sent out toward the sending-out direction B successively at suitable time. 
     Further, because of the first to fifth shift sensors  91  to  95  detecting passage of a paper sheet on the main conveyance passage  4 , the first and second take-out parts  65  and  66  are switched between the on state and the off state at suitable time. Further, because of the first and second take-out parts  65  and  66  communicating with the single common air chamber  41 , it is possible to simplify the device configuration for switching the first and second take-out parts  65  and  66  between the on state and the off state substantially at the same time. 
     Hereinafter, a first modification will be described. In the above described embodiment, the plurality of suction holes  43   a  is uniformly formed on the entire take-out belt  43 , but the take-out belt  43  is not limited to this. As shown in  FIG. 11 , a take-out belt  43  of the first modification has a plurality of suction holes  43   a  which are formed only on partial regions with predetermined distance in the length direction of the take-out belt  43 . As shown in  FIG. 12 , a valve unit  42  of the first modification includes a main guide plate  61  having a plurality of third openings  99  communicating with the air chamber  41 . Each of the third openings  99  has a shape formed by integrating the first opening  62  and the second opening  63  described above. 
     Hereinafter, a second modification will be described. In the above embodiment, the first openings  62  of the first take-out part  65  and the second openings  63  of the second take-out part  66  communicate with a single air chamber  41 , but the present invention is not limited to this. The first openings  62  of the first take-out part  65  and the second openings  63  of the second take-out part  66  may communicate with different air chambers from each other. In this case, the control part  1   a  may control the switching between negative pressure and positive pressure to be applied to each of the different air chambers substantially at the same time. Thus, the control part  1   a  synchronize the operations of the first and second take-out parts  65  and  66 , namely, to execute and stop sucking a paper sheet similarly to the foregoing embodiment. 
     Hereinafter, a third modification will be described. In the above embodiment, the first and second take-out parts  65  and  66  are switched between the on state and the off state substantially at the same time, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the first and second take-out parts  65  and  66  may be switched between the on state and the off state at different times in synchronization with each other. 
     According to at least one of the foregoing embodiment and modifications, because of the first and second take-out parts  65  and  66  positioned spaced apart from each other on opposite sides of the guide wall  21   b  with a predetermined distance therebetween in the paper sheet sending-out direction B, it is appropriately prevented that a plurality of paper sheets are sent out in an overlapping manner and buckling and conveyance problems are prevented. Further, because the second openings  63  of the second take-out part  66  have the ends positioned on the upstream side of the suction aperture  72  of the separation part  33  in the sending-out direction B, buckling of paper sheets and conveyance problems are prevented. 
     The embodiment and modifications of the present invention has been described, but they are provided for the purpose of example and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These embodiment and modifications may be embodied in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions and changes in the form of the embodiment and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. The accompanying claims and their equivalents are intended to cover such forms or modifications as would fall within the scope and spirit of the invention.