Patent Publication Number: US-6705470-B2

Title: Two belt bill facing mechanism

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/503,039, now allowed, which was filed on Feb. 11, 2000, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,371,303. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to the field of currency handling systems and, more particularly, to a bill facing mechanism for used in a currency handling system. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     A variety of techniques and apparatuses have been used to satisfy the requirements of automated currency handling machines. As businesses and banks grow, these businesses are experiencing a greater volume of paper currency. These businesses are continually requiring not only that their currency be processed more quickly but, also, processed with more options in a less expensive manner. At the upper end of sophistication in this area of technology are machines that are capable of rapidly identifying, discriminating, and counting multiple currency denominations and then delivering the sorted currency bills into a multitude of output compartments. Many of these high end machines are extremely large and expensive such that they are commonly found only in large institutions. These machines are not readily available to businesses which have monetary and space budgets, but still have the need to process large volumes of currency. Other high end currency handling machines require their own climate controlled environment which may place even greater strains on businesses having monetary and space budgets. 
     Currency handling machines typically employ magnetic sensing or optical sensing for denominating and authenticating currency bills. The results of these processes determines to which output compartment a particular bill is delivered to in a currency handling device having multiple output receptacles. For example, ten dollar denominations may be delivered to one output compartment and twenty dollar denominations to another, while bills which fail the authentication test are delivered to a third output compartment. Unfortunately, many prior art devices only have one output compartment which can be appropriately called a reject pocket. Accordingly, in those cases, the reject pocket may have to accommodate those bills which fail a denomination test or authentication test. As a result, different types of “reject” bills are stacked upon one another in the same output compartment leaving the operator unknowing as to which of those bills failed which tests. 
     Many prior art large volume currency handling devices which positively transport the currency bills through the device are susceptible to becoming jammed. And many of these machines are difficult to un-jam because the operator must physically remove the bill from the device. If necessary, the operator can often manipulate a hand-crank to manually jog the device to remove the bills. Then, the operator must manually turn the hand crank to flush out all the bills from within the system before the batch can be reprocessed. Further compounding the problem in a jam situation is that many prior art devices are not equipped to detect the presence of a jam. In such a situation, the device continues to operate until the bills pile up and the jam is so severe that the device is forced to physically halt. This situation can cause physical damage to both the machine and the bills. Often, a jam ruins the integrity of the count and/or valuation of the currency bills so that the entire batch must be reprocessed. 
     Weight is another draw-back of prior art high-volume currency handling machines. In part, the weight of these machines is due to the heavy machinery used. For example, some machines contain large cast iron rails on which apparatuses ride to push currency bills down into the storage compartments. Unfortunately, the increased weight of these machines often translates into increased costs associated with the machine. 
     Another disadvantage to some prior art currency handling devices is the manner of feeding bills into the device. Many prior art devices only have one advance mechanism so the operator of the device can only process one stack of bills at a time before reloading the machine. Alternatively, the operator can attempt to simultaneously manipulate the stack of bills currently being processed, a new stack of bills, and the feeder mechanism. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to one embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a multiple output receptacle currency handling device for receiving a stack of currency bills and rapidly processing all the bills in the stack. One aspect of the present invention is directed to an apparatus for rotating a bill approximately 180°. The apparatus comprises a first and a second belt. The first belt has a bill transport portion, a return portion, a first end, and a second end. The second end of first belt being twisted approximately 180° in relation to the first end of the first belt. The second belt has a bill transport portion, a return portion, a first end, and second end. The bill transport portion of the first belt is disposed adjacent to the bill transport portion of the second belt. The second end of second belt is twisted approximately 180° in relation to the first end of the second belt. A bill transport path is defined by the bill transport portions of the first and the second belts. The bill transport path has an inlet and an outlet. The outlet of the bill transport path is twisted approximately 180° in relation to the inlet. A plurality of guides are disposed adjacent to the bill facing path for supporting the outer portions of the bill which extend beyond a width of the first and the second belts as the bill is being transported along the transport path. 
     The above summary of the present invention is not intended to represent each embodiment, or every aspect, of the present invention. Additional features and benefits of the present invention will become apparent from the detail description, figures, and claim set forth below. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description in conjunction with the drawings in which: 
     FIG. 1 a  is a perspective view of a document handling device according to one embodiment of the invention; 
     FIG. 1 b  is a front view of a document handling device according to one embodiment of the invention; 
     FIG. 2 a  is a perspective view of an evaluation region according to one embodiment of the document handling device of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 b  is a side view of an evaluation region according to one embodiment of the document handling device of the present invention; 
     FIG. 3 a  is a perspective view of an input receptacle according to one embodiment of the document handling device of the present invention; 
     FIG. 3 b  is another perspective view of an input receptacle according to one embodiment of the document handling device of the present invention; 
     FIG. 3 c  is a top view of an input receptacle according to one embodiment of the document handling device of the present invention; 
     FIG. 3 d  is a side view of an input receptacle according to one embodiment of the document handling device of the present invention; 
     FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a portion of a transportation mechanism according to one embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 5 is a front perspective view of an escrow compartment, a plunger assembly, and a storage cassette according to one embodiment of the document handling device of the present invention; 
     FIG. 6 is a top view of an escrow compartment and plunger assembly according to one embodiment of the document handling device of the present invention; 
     FIG. 7 is a front view of an escrow compartment and plunger assembly according to one embodiment of the document handling device of the present invention; 
     FIG. 8 is another front view of an escrow compartment and plunger assembly according to one embodiment of the document handling device of the present invention; 
     FIG. 9 is a perspective view of an apparatus for transferring currency from an escrow compartment to a storage cassette according to one embodiment of the document handling device of the present invention; 
     FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a paddle according to one embodiment of the document handling device of the present invention; 
     FIG. 11 is a rear perspective view of the escrow compartment, plunger assembly, and storage cassette according to one embodiment of the document handling device of the present invention; 
     FIG. 12 is a rear view of a plunger assembly wherein the gate is in the open position according to one embodiment of the document handling device of the present invention; 
     FIG. 13 is a rear view of a plunger assembly wherein the gate is in the closed position according to one embodiment of the document handling device of the present invention; 
     FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a storage cassette according to one embodiment of the document handling device of the present invention; 
     FIG. 15 is a rear view of a storage cassette according to one embodiment of the document handling device of the present invention; 
     FIG. 16 is a perspective view of a storage cassette where the door is open according to one embodiment of the document handling device of the present invention; 
     FIG. 17 a  is a top view of a storage cassette sized to accommodate United States currency documents according to one embodiment of the document handling device of the present invention; 
     FIG. 17 b  is a rear view of a storage cassette sized to accommodate United States currency documents according to one embodiment of the document handling device of the present invention; 
     FIG. 18 a  is a top view of a storage cassette sized to accommodate large documents according to one embodiment of the document handling device of the present invention; 
     FIG. 18 b  is a rear view of a storage cassette sized to accommodate large documents according to one embodiment of the document handling device of the present invention; 
     FIG. 19 is a perspective view of a two belt bill facing mechanism according to one embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 20 is another perspective view of a two belt bill facing mechanism according to one embodiment of the document handling device of the present invention; 
     FIG. 21 is a perspective view of a two belt bill facing mechanism without belt guides or bill guides according to one embodiment of the document handling device of the present invention; and 
     FIG. 22 is a perspective view of a two belt bill facing mechanism without belt guides according to one embodiment of the document handling device of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring to FIGS. 1 a  and  1   b , a multi-pocket document processing device  100  such as a currency handling device according to one embodiment of the present invention is illustrated. Currency bills are fed, one by one, from a stack of currency bills placed in an input receptacle  102  into a transport mechanism  104 . The transport mechanism  104  guides currency bills to one of a plurality of output receptacles  106   a - 106   h , which may include upper output receptacles  106   a ,  106   b , as well as lower output receptacles  106   c - 106   h . Before reaching an output receptacle  106  the transport mechanism  104  guides the bill through an evaluation region  108  where a bill can be, for example, analyzed, authenticated, denominated, counted, and/or otherwise processed. In alternative embodiments of the currency handling device  100  of the present invention, the evaluation region  108  can determine bill orientation, bill size, or whether bills are stacked upon one another. The results of the above process or processes may be used to determine to which output receptacle  106  a bill is directed. The illustrated embodiment of the currency handling device has an overall width, W 1 , of approximately 4.52 feet (1.38 meters), a height, H 1 , of approximately 4.75 feet (1.45 meters), and a depth, D 1 , of approximately 1.67 feet (0.50 meters). 
     In one embodiment, documents such as currency bills are transported, scanned, denominated, authenticated and/or otherwise processed at a rate equal to or greater than 600 bills per minute. In another embodiment, documents such as currency bills are transported, scanned, denominated, authenticated, and/or otherwise processed at a rate equal to or greater than 800 bills per minute. In another embodiment, documents such as currency bills are transported, scanned, denominated, authenticated and/or otherwise processed at a rate equal to or greater than 1000 bills per minute. In still another embodiment, documents such as currency bills are transported, scanned, denominated, authenticated, and/or otherwise processed at a rate equal to or greater than 1200 bills per minute. 
     In the illustrated embodiment, interposed in the bill transport mechanism  104 , intermediate the bill evaluation region  108  and the lower output receptacles  106   c - 106   h  is a bill facing mechanism designated generally by reference numeral  110 . The bill facing mechanism is capable of rotating a bill 180° so that the face position of the bill is reversed. That is, if a U.S. bill, for example, is initially presented with the surface bearing a portrait of a president facing down, it may be directed to the facing mechanism  110 , whereupon it will be rotated 180° so that the surface with the portrait faces up. The leading edge of the bill remains constant while the bill is being rotated 180° by the facing mechanism  110 . The decision may be taken to send a bill to the facing mechanism  110  when the selected mode of operation or other operator instructions call for maintaining a given face position of bills as they are processed by the currency handling device  100 . For example, it may be desirable in certain circumstances for all of the bills ultimately delivered to the lower output receptacles  106   c - 106   h  to have the bill surface bearing the portrait of the president facing up. In such embodiments of the currency handling device  100 , the bill evaluation region  108  is capable of determining the face position of a bill, such that a bill not having the desired face position can first be directed to the facing mechanism  110  before being delivered to the appropriate output receptacle  106 . Further details of a facing mechanism which may be utilized for this purpose are disclosed in commonly-owned, co-pending U.S. application Ser. No. 09/181,254, entitled “Document Facing Method and Apparatus” which was filed on Oct. 28, 1998, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, which may be employed in conjunction with the present invention such as the device illustrated in FIGS. 1 a  and  1   b . Other alternative embodiments of the currency handling device  100  do not include the facing mechanism  110 . 
     The currency handling device  100  in FIG. 1 a  may be controlled from a separate controller or control unit  120  which has a display/user-interface  122 , which may incorporate a touch panel display in one embodiment of the present invention, which displays information, including “functional” keys when appropriate. The display/user-interface  122  may be a full graphics display. Alternatively, additional physical keys or buttons, such as a keyboard  124 , may be employed. The control unit  120  may be a self-contained desktop or laptop computer which communicates with the currency handling device  100  via a cable  125 . The currency handling device  100  may have a suitable communications port (not shown) for this purpose. In embodiments in which the control unit  120  is a desktop computer wherein the display/user-interface  122  and the desktop computer are physically separable, the desktop computer may be stored within a compartment  126  of the currency handling device  100 . In other alternative embodiments, the control unit  120  is integrated into the currency handling device  100  so the control unit  120  is contained within the device  100 . 
     The operator can control the operation of the currency handling device  100  through the control unit  120 . Through the control unit  120  the operator can direct the bills into specific output receptacles  106   a - 106   h  by selecting various user defined modes. In alternative embodiments, the user can select pre-programmed user defined modes or create new user defined modes based on the particular requirements of the application. For example, the operator may select a user defined mode which instructs the currency handling device  100  to sort bills by denomination; accordingly, the evaluation region  108  would denominate the bills and direct one dollar bills into the first lower output receptacle  106   c , five dollar bills into the second lower output receptacle  106   d , ten dollar bills into the third lower output receptacle  106   e , twenty dollar bills into the forth lower output receptacle  106   f , fifty dollar bills into the fifth lower output receptacle  106   g , and one-hundred dollar bills into the sixth lower output receptacle  106   h . The operator may also instruct the currency handling device  100  to deliver those bills whose denomination was not determined, no call bills, to the first upper output receptacle  106   a . In such an embodiment, upper output receptacle  106   a  would function as a reject pocket. In an alternative embodiment, the operator may instruct the currency handling device  100  to also evaluate the authenticity of each bill. In such an embodiment, authentic bills would be directed to the appropriate lower output receptacle  106   c - 106   h . Those bills that were determined not to be authentic, suspect bills, would be delivered to the second upper output receptacle  106   b . A multitude of user defined modes are disclosed by co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/916,100 entitled “Multi-Pocket Currency Discriminator” which was filed on Aug. 21, 1997, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, which may be employed in conjunction with the present invention such as the device illustrated in FIGS. 1 a  and  1   b.    
     According to one embodiment, the currency handling device  100  is designed so that when the evaluation region  108  is unable to identify certain criteria regarding a bill, the unidentified note is flagged and “presented” in one of the output receptacles  106   a - 106   h , that is, the transport mechanism  104  is stopped so that the unidentified bill is located at a predetermined position within one of the output receptacles  106   a - 106   h , such as being the last bill transported to one of the output receptacles. Such criteria can include denominating information, authenticating information, information indicative of the bill&#39;s series, or other information the evaluation region  108  is attempting to obtain pursuant to a mode of operation. Which output receptacles  106   a - 106   h  the flagged bill is presented in may be determined by the user according to a selected mode of operation. For example, where the unidentified bill is the last bill transported to an output receptacle  106   a - 106   h , it may be positioned within a stacker wheel or positioned at the top of the bills already within the output receptacle  106   a - 106   h . While unidentified bills may be transported to any output receptacles  106   a - 106   h , it may be more convenient for the operator to have unidentified bills transported to one of the upper output receptacles  106   a,b  where the operator is able to easily see and/or inspect the bill which has not been identified by the evaluation region  108 . The operator may then either visually inspect the flagged bill while it is resting on the top of the stack, or alternatively, the operator may decide to remove the bill from the output receptacle  106  in order to examine the flagged bill more closely. In an alternative embodiment of the currency handling device  100 , the device  100  may communicate to the user via the display/user-interface  122  in which one of the output receptacles  106   a - 106   h  a flagged bill is presented. 
     The currency handling device  100  may be designed to continue operation automatically when a flagged bill is removed from the upper output receptacle  106   a,b  or, according to one embodiment of the present invention, the device  100  may be designed to suspend operation and require input from the user via the control unit  120 . Upon examination of a flagged bill by the operator, it may be found that the flagged bill is genuine even though it was not identified as so by the evaluation region  108  or the evaluation may have been unable to denominate the flagged bill. However, because the bill was not identified, the total value and/or denomination counters will not reflect its value. According to one embodiment, such an unidentified bill is removed from the output receptacles  106  and reprocessed or set aside. According to another embodiment, the flagged bills may accumulate in the upper output receptacles  106   a,b  until the batch of currency bills currently being processed is completed or the output receptacle  106   a,b  is full and then reprocessed or set aside. 
     According to another embodiment, when a bill is flagged, the transport mechanism may be stopped before the flagged bill is transported to one of the output receptacles. Such an embodiment is particularly suited for situations in which the operator need not examine the bill being flagged; for example, the currency handling device  100  is instructed to first process United States currency and then British currency pursuant to a selected mode of operation where the currency handling device  100  processes United States $1, $5, $10, $20, $50, and $100 currency bills into the lower output receptacles  106   c - 106   h , respectively. Upon detection of the first British pound note, the currency handling device  100  may halt operation allowing the operator to empty the lower output receptacles  106   c - 106   h  and to make any spatial adjustments necessary to accommodate the British currency. A multitude of modes of operation are described in conjunction with bill flagging, presenting, and/or transport halting in commonly owned, co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/916,100 entitled “Method and Apparatus for Document Processing” which was filed on May 28, 1997, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety above, which may be employed in conjunction with the present invention such as the device illustrated in FIGS. 1 a  and  1   b.    
     In the illustrated embodiment, with regard to the upper output receptacles  106   a ,  106   b , the second upper output receptacle  106   b  is provided with a stacker wheel  127  for accumulating a number of bills, while the first upper output receptacle  106   a  is not provided with such a stacker wheel. Thus, when pursuant to a preprogrammed mode of operation or an operator selected mode or other operator instructions, a bill is to be fed to the first upper output receptacle  106   a , there may be a further instruction to momentarily suspend operation of the currency handling device  100  for the operator to inspect and remove the bill. On the other hand, it may be possible to allow a small number of bills to accumulate in the first upper output receptacle  106   a  prior to suspending operation. Similarly, the second upper output receptacle  106   b  may be utilized initially as an additional one of the lower output receptacles  106   c - 106   h . However, there is no storage cassette associated with the second upper output receptacle  106   b . Therefore, when the second upper output receptacle  106   b  is full, operation may be suspended to remove the bills at such time as yet further bills are directed to the second upper output receptacle  106   b  in accordance with the selected mode of operation or other operator instructions. In an alternative embodiment of the currency handling device  100  both the first and the second upper output receptacles  106   a ,  106   b  are equipped with a stacker wheel. In such an embodiment both the upper output receptacles  106   a,b  may also function as the lower output receptacle  106   c - 106   h  allowing a number of bills to be stacked therein. 
     FIGS. 2 a  and  2   b  illustrate the evaluation region  108  according to one embodiment of the currency handling system  100 . The evaluation region can be opened for service, access to sensors, clear bill jams, etc. as shown in FIG. 2 a . The characteristics of the evaluation region  108  may vary according to the particular application and needs of the user. The evaluation region  108  can accommodate a number and variety of different types of sensors depending on a number of variables. These variables are related to whether the machine is authenticating, counting, or discriminating denominations and what distinguishing characteristics are being examined, e.g. size, thickness, color, magnetism, reflectivity, absorbabilty, transmissivity, electrical conductivity, etc. The evaluation region  108  may employ a variety of detection means including, but not limited to, a size detection and density sensor  408 , a lower  410  and an upper  412  optical scan head, a single or multitude of magnetic sensors  414 , a thread sensor  416 , and an ultraviolet/fluorescent light scan head  418 . These detection means and a host of others are disclosed in commonly owned, co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/916,100 entitled “Multi-Pocket Currency Discriminator,” incorporated by reference above. 
     The direction of bill travel through the evaluation region  108  is indicated by arrow A. The bills are positively driven along a transport plate  400  through the evaluation region  108  by means of a transport roll arrangement comprising both driven rollers  402  and passive rollers  404 . The rollers  402  are driven by a motor (not shown) via a belt  401 . Passive rollers  404  are mounted in such a manner as to be freewheeling about their respective axis and biased into counter-rotating contact with the corresponding driven rollers  402 . The driven and passive rollers  402 ,  404  are mounted so that they are substantially coplanar with the transport plate  400 . The transport roll arrangement also includes compressible rollers  406  to aid in maintaining the bills flat against the transport plate  400 . Maintaining the bill flat against the transport plate  400  so that the bill lies flat when transported past the sensors enhances the overall reliability of the evaluation processes. A similar transport arrangement is disclosed in commonly-owned U.S. Pat. No. 5,687,963 entitled “Method and Apparatus for Discriminating and Counting Documents,” which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     Referring now to FIGS. 3 a - 3   d , the input receptacle  102  of the currency handling device  100  is illustrated. A feeder mechanism such as a pair of stripping wheels  140  aid in feeding the bills in seriatim to the transport mechanism  104  which first carries the bills through the evaluation region  108 . According to one embodiment, the input receptacle  102  includes at least one spring-loaded feeder paddle  142   a  which is pivotally mounted, permitting it to be pivoted upward and drawn back to the rear of a stack of bills placed in the input receptacle  102  so as to bias the bills towards the evaluation region  108  via the pair of stripping wheels  140 . The paddle  142   a  is coupled to an advance mechanism  144  to urge the paddle  142   a  towards the stripping wheels  140 . In the illustrated embodiment, motion is imparted to the advance mechanism via a spring  145 . In other alternative embodiments, the advance mechanism  144  is motor driven. The advance mechanism  144  is slidably mounted to a shaft  146 . The advance mechanism  144  also constrains the paddle  142   a  to a linear path. The advance mechanism  144  may contain a liner bearing (not shown) allowing the paddle  142   a  to easily slide along the shaft  146 . In the embodiment illustrated, the paddle  142   a  may also contain channels  148  to aid in constraining the paddle  142   a  to a linear path along a pair of tracks  150 . The paddle  142   a  may additionally include a roller  152  to facilitate the movement of the paddle  142   a.    
     In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 3 a - 3   d , a second paddle  142   b  is provided such that a second stack of bills  147  may be placed in the input receptacle  102  behind a first group of bills  149 , while the first group of bills  149  is being fed into the currency handling device  100 . Thus, the two feeder paddles  142   a  and  142   b  may be alternated during processing in order to permit multiple stacks of currency bills to be loaded into the input receptacle  102 . In such an embodiment, the operator would retract paddle  142   a  and place a stack of bills into the input receptacle. Once inside the input receptacle, the operator would place the paddle  142   a  against the stack of bills so that the paddle  142   a  biases the stack of bills towards the pair of stripper wheels  140 . The operator could then load a second stack of bills into the input receptacle  102  by retracting the second paddle  142   b  and placing a stack of bills in the input receptacle between the paddles  142   a  and  142   b . The second paddle  142   b  urges the second stack of bills up against the backside of the first paddle  142   a . The operator can then upwardly rotate the first paddle  142   a  thus combining the two stacks. The first paddle  142   a  is then retracted to the rear of the input receptacle and the process can be repeated. The two paddle input receptacle allows the operator to more easily continuously feed stacks of bills to the currency handling device  100 . In devices not having two feeder paddles, the operator is forced to awkwardly manipulate the two stacks of bills and the advance mechanism. Alternatively, the operator may wait for the stack of bills to be processed out of the input receptacle to add another stack; however, waiting to reload until each stack is processed adds to the total time to process a given amount of currency. 
     Referring to FIG. 4, a portion of the transport mechanism  104  and diverters  130   a - 130   d  are illustrated. A substantial portion of the transport path of the currency handling device  100  positively grips the bills during transport from the pair of stripping wheels  140  through the point where bills are delivered to upper output receptacle  106   a  or are delivered to the stacker wheels  202  of output receptacles  106   b - 106   h . The positive grip transport path of the currency handling device  100  is less costly and weighs less than the vacuum transport arrangements of prior currency processing devices. 
     The transport mechanism  104  is electronically geared causing all sections to move synchronously from the evaluation region  108  through the point where the bills are delivered to the output receptacles  106 . Multiple small motors are used to drive the transport mechanism  104 . Using multiple small, less costly motors is more efficient and less costly than a single large motor. Further, less space is consumed enabling the currency handling device  100  to be more compact. Electronically gearing the transport mechanism  104  enables a single encoder to monitor bill transportation within the currency handling system  100 . The encoder is linked to the bill transport mechanism  104  and provides input to a processor to determine the timing of the operations of the currency handling device  100 . In this manner, the processor is able to monitor the precise location of the bills as they are transported through the currency handling device  100 . This process is termed “flow control.” Input from additional sensors  119  located along the transport mechanism  104  of the currency handling device  100  enables the processor to continually update the position of a bill within the device  100  to accommodate for bill slippage. When a bill leaves the evaluation region  108  the processor expects the bill to arrive at the diverter  130   a  corresponding to the first lower output receptacle  106   c  after a precise number of encoder counts. Specifically, the processor expects the bill to flow past each sensor  119  positioned along the transport mechanism  104  at a precise number of encoder counts. If the bill slips during transport but passes a sensor  119  later within an acceptable number of encoder counts the processor updates or “re-queues” the new bill position. The processor calculates a new figure for the time the bill is expected to pass the next sensor  119  and arrive at the first diverter  130   a . The processor activates a the one of the diverters  130   a-f  to direct the bill into the appropriate corresponding lower output receptacle  106   c - 106   h  when the sensor  119  immediately preceding the diverter  130  detects the passage of the bill to be directed into the appropriate lower output receptacle  106   c-h.    
     The currency handling device  100  also uses flow control to detect jams within the transport mechanism  104  of the device  100 . When a bill does not reach a sensor  119  within in the calculated number of encoder counts plus the maximum number of counts allowable for slippage, the processor suspends operation of the device  100  and informs the operator via the display/user-interface  122  that a jam has occurred. The processor also notifies the operator via the display/user-interface  122  of the location of the jam by indicating the last sensor  119  that the bill passed and generally the approximate location of the jam in the system. If the operator cannot easily remove the bill without damage, the operator can then electronically jog the transport path in the forward or reverse direction via the control unit  120  so that the jammed bill is dislodged and the operator can easily remove the bill from the transport path. The operator can then flush the system causing the transport mechanism  104  to deliver all of the bills currently within the transport path of the currency handling device  100  to one of the output receptacles  106 . In an alternative embodiment, the user of the currency handling device  100  would have the option when flushing the system to first have the bills already within the escrow regions  116   a - 116   f  to be delivered to the respective lower storage cassettes  106   c - 106   h  so that those bills may be included in the aggregate value data for the bills being processed. The bills remaining in the transport path  104  would then be delivered to a predetermined escrow region  116  where those bills could be removed and reprocessed by placing those bills in the input receptacle  102 . 
     Utilizing flow control to detect jams is more desirable than prior art currency evaluation machines which do not detect a jam until a sensor is actually physically blocked. The latter method of jam detection permits bills to pile up while waiting for a sensor to become blocked. Bill pile-up is problematic because it may physically halt the machine before the jam is detected and may cause physical damage to the bills and the machine. In order to remedy a jam in a prior art machine, the operator must first manually physically dislodge the jammed bills. The operator must then manually turn a hand crank which advances the transport path until all bills within the transport path are removed. Moreover, because the prior art devices permit multiple bills to pile up before a jam is detected, the integrity of the process is often ruined. In such a case, the entire stack of bills must be reprocessed. 
     Referring back to FIG. 1 a , the illustrated embodiment of the currency handling device  100  includes a total of six lower output receptacles  106   c - 106   h . More specifically, each of the lower output receptacles  106   c - 106   h  includes a first portion designated as an escrow compartment  116   a - 116   f  and a second portion designated as a storage cassette  118   a - 118   f . Typically, bills are initially directed to the escrow compartments  116 , and thereafter at specified times or upon the occurrence of specified events, which may be selected or programmed by an operator, bills are then fed to the storage cassettes  118 . The storage cassettes are removable and replaceable, such that stacks of bills totaling a predetermined number of bills or a predetermined monetary value may be accumulated in a given storage cassette  118 , whereupon the cassette may be removed and replaced with an empty storage cassette. In the illustrated embodiment, the number of lower output receptacles  106   c - 106   h  including escrow compartments  116  and storage cassettes  118  are six in number. In alternative embodiments, the currency handling device  100  may contain more or less than six lower output receptacles including escrow compartments and storage cassettes  118 . In other alternative embodiments, modular lower output receptacles  106  can be implemented to add many more lower output receptacles to the currency handling system  100 . Each modular unit may comprise two lower output receptacles. In other alternative embodiments, several modular units may be added at one time to the currency handling device  100 . 
     A series of diverters  130   a - 130   f , which are a part of the transportation mechanism  104 , direct the bills to one of the lower output receptacles  106   c - 106   h . When the diverters  130  are in an upper position, the bills are directed to the adjacent lower output receptacle  106 . When the diverters  130  are in a lower position, the bills proceed in the direction of the next diverter  130 . 
     The vertical arrangement of the lower output receptacles  106   c - 106   h  is illustrated in FIG.  5 . The escrow compartment  116  is positioned above the storage cassette  118 . In addition to the escrow compartment  116  and the storage cassette  118 , each of the lower output receptacles  106   c - 106   h  contains a plunger assembly  300 . The plunger assembly  300  is shown during its decent towards the storage cassette  118 . 
     Referring now to FIGS. 6 and 7, one of the escrow compartments  116  of the lower output receptacles  106   c - 106   h  is shown. The escrow compartment  116  contains a stacker wheel  202  to receive the bills  204  from the diverter  130 . The stacker wheel  202  stacks the bills  204  within the escrow compartment walls  206 ,  208  on top of a gate  210  disposed between the escrow compartment  116  and the storage cassette  118 . In an alternative embodiment, the escrow compartment  116  contains a pair of guides to aid in aligning the bills substantially directly on top of one another. The gate  210  is made up of two shutters: a first shutter  211  and a second shutter  212 . The shutters  211 ,  212  are hingedly connected enabling the shutters  211 ,  212  to rotate downward approximately ninety degrees to move the gate from a first position (closed position) wherein the shutters  211 ,  212  are substantially co-planer to a second position (open position) wherein the shutters  211 ,  212  are substantially parallel. Below the gate  210  is the storage cassette  118  (not shown in FIGS.  6  and  7 ). 
     FIG. 8 illustrates the positioning of the paddle  302  when transferring a stack of bills from the escrow compartment  116  to the storage cassette  118 . When the paddle descends upon the stack of bills  204  it causes shutters  211 ,  212  to quickly rotate in the directions referred to by arrows B and C, respectively; thus, “snapping” open the gate  210 . The quick rotation of the shutters  211 ,  212  insures that the bills fall into the storage cassette  118  in a substantially stacked position. According to one embodiment, the paddle is programmed to descend after a predetermined number of bills  204  are stacked upon the gate  210 . According to other embodiments, the operator can instruct the paddle  302  via the control unit  120  to descend upon the bills  204  stacked upon the gate  210 . 
     Referring now to FIG. 9, the plunger assembly  300  for selectively transferring the bills  204  from an escrow compartment  116  to a corresponding storage cassette  118  and the gate  210  are illustrated in more detail. One such plunger assembly  300  is provided for each of the six lower output receptacles  106   c - 106   h  of the currency handling device  100 . The plunger assembly  300  comprises a paddle  302 , a base  304 , and two side arms  306 ,  308 . Each of the shutters  211 ,  212  comprising the gate  210  extend inwardly from corresponding parallel bars  214 ,  215 . The bars  214 ,  215  are mounted for pivoting the shutters between the closed position and the open position. Levers  216 ,  217  are coupled to the parallel bars  214 ,  215 , respectively, to control the rotation of the bars  214 ,  215  and hence of the shutters  211 ,  212 . Extension springs  218 ,  219  (shown in FIG. 8) tend to maintain the position of the levers  216 ,  217  both in the closed and open positions. The shutters  211 ,  212  have an integral tongue  213   a  and groove  213   b  arrangement which prevents any bills which are stacked upon the gate  210  from slipping between the shutters  211 ,  212 . 
     The base  304  travels along a vertical shaft  311  with which it is slidably engaged. The base  304  may include linear bearings (not shown) to facilitate its movement along the vertical shaft  311 . The plunger assembly  300  may also include a vertical guiding member  312  (see FIG. 11) with which the base  304  is also slidably engaged. The vertical guiding member  312  maintains the alignment of the plunger assembly  300  by preventing the plunger assembly  300  from twisting laterally about the vertical shaft  311  when the paddle  302  forces the bills  204  stacked in the escrow area  116  down into a storage cassette  118 . 
     Referring also to FIG. 10, the paddle  302  extends laterally from the base  304 . The paddle  302  is secured to a support  314  extending from the base  304 . A pair of side arms  306 ,  308  are hingedly connected to the base. Each of the side arms  306 ,  308  protrude from the sides of the base  304 . Rollers  316 ,  318  are attached to the side arms  306 ,  308 , respectively, and are free rolling. Springs  313   a ,  313   b  are attached to the side arms  306 ,  308 , respectively, to bias the side arms  306 ,  308  outward from the base  304 . In the illustrated embodiment, the spring  313   a ,  313   b  are compression springs. 
     The paddle  302  contains a first pair of slots  324  to allow the paddle to clear the stacker wheel  202  when descending into and ascending out of the cassette  118 . The first pair of slots  324  also enables the paddle  302  to clear the first pair of retaining tabs  350  within the storage cassette (see FIG.  14 ). Similarly, paddle  302  contains a second pair of slots  326  to enable the paddle  302  to clear the second pair of retaining tabs  350  within the storage cassette  118  (see FIG.  14 ). 
     Referring now to FIG. 11, which illustrates a rear view of one of the lower output receptacles  106   c - 106   h , the plunger  300  is bidirectionally driven by way of a belt  328  coupled to an electric motor  330 . A clamp  332  engages the belt  328  into a channel  334  in the base  304  of the plunger assembly  300 . In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 11, two plunger assemblies  300  are driven by a single electric motor  330 . In one embodiment of the currency handling device, the belt  328  is a timing belt. In other alternative embodiments, each plunger assembly  300  can be driven by a single electric motor  330 . In still other alternative embodiments, there can be any combination of motors  330  to plunger assemblies  300 . 
     FIGS. 12 and 13 illustrate the interaction between the side arms  306 ,  308  and the levers  216 ,  217  when the paddle assembly  300  is descending towards and ascending away from the storage cassette  118 , respectively. Initially, before descending towards the cassette, the shutters are in a first (closed) position. In the illustrated embodiment, it is the force imparted by the paddle  302  which opens the gate  210  when the paddle descends towards the storage cassette  118 . When the paddle is ascending away from the storage cassette  119 , it is the rollers  316 ,  318  coupled to the side arms  306 ,  308  which engage the levers  216 ,  217  that close the gate  210 . The levers  216 ,  217  shown in FIG. 12 are positioned in the open position. When descending towards the storage cassette  118 , the rollers  316 ,  318  contact the levers  216 ,  217  and roll around the levers  216 ,  217  leaving the shutters in the open position. The side arms  306 ,  308  are hinged in a manner which allows the side arms  306 ,  308  to rotate inward towards the base  304  as the rollers  316 ,  318  engage the levers  216 ,  217 . FIG. 13 illustrates the levers in the second position wherein the gate  210  is closed. When the paddle ascends out of the storage cassette, the side arms  306 ,  308  are biased away from the base  304 . The rollers  316 ,  318  engage the levers  216 ,  217  causing the levers to rotate upward to the first position thus closing the gate. 
     FIGS. 14,  15 , and  16  illustrate the components of the storage cassettes  118 . The bills  204  are stored within the cassette housing  348  which has a base  349 . Each storage cassette  118  contains two pairs of retaining tabs  350  positioned adjacent to the interior walls  351 ,  352  of the storage cassette. The lower surface  354  of each tab  350  is substantially planar. The tabs  350  are hingedly connected to the storage cassette  118  enabling the tabs  350  to downwardly rotate from a horizontal position, substantially perpendicular with the side interior walls  351 ,  352  of the cassette  118 , to a vertical position, substantially parallel to the interior walls  351 ,  352  of the cassette  118 . The tabs  350  are coupled to springs (not shown) to maintain the tabs in the horizontal position. 
     The storage cassette  118  contains a slidable platform  356  which is biased upward. During operation of the currency handling system  100 , the platform  356  receives stacks of bills from the escrow compartment  116 . The floor  356  is attached to a base  358  which is slidably mounted to a vertical support member  360 . The base  358  is spring-loaded so that it is biased upward and in turn biases the platform  356  upward. The storage cassettes  118  are designed to be interchangeable so that once full, a storage cassette can be easily removed from the currency handling device  100  and replaced with an empty storage cassette  118 . In the illustrated embodiment, the storage cassette  118  is equipped with a handle  357  in order to expedite removal and/or replacement of the storage cassettes  118 . Also in the illustrated embodiment, the storage cassette  118  has a door  359  which enables an operator to remove bills from the storage cassette  118   
     The storage cassettes  118  are dimensioned to accommodate documents of varying sizes. In the illustrated embodiment, the storage cassettes  118  has a height, H 2 , of approximately 15.38 inches (39 cm), a depth, D 2 , of approximately 9 inches (22.9 cm), and a width, W 2 , of approximately 5.66 inches (14.4 cm). The storage cassette illustrated in FIG. 15 has stand-offs  362  to set interior wall  352  off a fixed distance from in the interior wall  353  of the cassette housing  348 . The interior walls  351 ,  352  aid in aligning the bills in a stack within the storage cassettes. The embodiment of the storage cassette illustrate in FIG. 15 is sized to accommodate United States currency documents. To properly accommodate United States currency documents, the interior width of the storage cassette, W 3 , is approximately 2.88 inches. FIGS. 17 a  and  17   b  also illustrate an embodiment of the storage cassette  118  sized to accommodate U.S. currency documents which have a width of approximately 2.5 inches (approximately 6.5 cm) and a length of approximately 6 inches (approximately 15.5 cm). In alternative embodiments, the length of the stand-offs  362  can be varied to accommodate documents of varying sizes. For example, the embodiment disclosed in FIG. 18 a  and  18   b  has an interior width, W 3  of approximately 4.12 inches (104.6 cm) and is sized to accommodate the largest international currency, the French 500 Franc note, which has width of approximately 3.82 inches (9.7 cm) and a length of approximately 7.17 inches (18.2 cm). In order to accommodate large documents and increase the interior width, W 3 , of the storage cassette  118 , the lengths of stand-offs  362 , illustrated in FIG. 16 b , are shortened. 
     Beginning with FIG. 7, the operation of one of the lower output receptacles  106   c - 106   h  will be described. Pursuant to a mode of operation, the bills  204  are directed by one of the diverters  130  into the escrow compartment  116  of the lower output receptacle. The stacker wheel  202  within escrow compartment  116  receives the bills  204  from the diverter  130 . The stacker wheel  202  stacks the bills  204  on top of the gate  210 . Pursuant to a preprogrammed mode of operation, once a predetermined number of bills  204  are stacked in the escrow compartment  116 , the control unit  120  instructs the currency handling device  100  to suspend processing currency bills and the paddle  302  then descends from its home position above the escrow compartment  116  to transfer the bills  204  into the storage cassette  118 . Once the bills  204  have been deposited in the storage cassette  118  the currency handling device resumes operation until an escrow compartment is full or all the bills within the input receptacle  102  have been processed. 
     Referring now to FIGS. 8 and 9 the plunger assembly  300  downwardly travels placing the paddle  302  onto of the stack of bills  204 . Upon making contact with the bills  204  the paddle  302  continues to travel downward. As the paddle  302  continues its descent, the paddle  302  forces the gate  210  to snap open. The paddle  302  imparts a force to the bills  204  that is transferred to the to the shutters  211 ,  212  causing the shutters  211 ,  212  to rotate from the closed position to the open position. The rotation of the shutters  211 ,  212  is indicated by the arrows B and C, respectively. Once the paddle  302  imparts the amount of force necessary to rotate levers  216 ,  217 , the extension springs  218 ,  219  quickly rotate the shutters  211 ,  212  downward, thus “snapping” the gate  210  open. The downward rotation of the shutters  211 ,  212  causes each of the corresponding parallel bars  214 ,  215  to pivot which in turn rotates the levers  216 ,  217 . The extension springs  218 ,  219  maintain the shutters  211 ,  212  in the open position allowing the paddle  302  to descend into the storage cassette  118 . The hingedly connected side arms  306 ,  308  retract as the rollers  316 ,  318  to roll around the levers  216 ,  217  while the plunger assembly  300  is traveling downward into the cassette  118 . 
     Referring now to FIG. 15, once the gate  210  is opened, the bills  204  fall a short distance onto the platform  356  of the storage cassette  118  or onto a stack of bills  204  already deposited on the platform  356 . The paddle  302  continues its downward motion towards the storage cassette  118  to ensure that the bills  204  are transferred to the cassette  118 . Initially, some bills  204  may be spaced apart from the platform  356  or the other bills  204  within the storage cassette by retaining tabs  350 . As the plunger assembly  300  continues to descend downward into the cassette, the paddle  302  continues to urge the stack of bills  204  downward causing the retaining tabs  350  to rotate downward. The bills  204  are pushed past retaining tabs  350  and onto the platform  356 . 
     Once the plunger assembly  300  has descended into the cassette  118  a distance sufficient for the paddle  302  to clear the retaining tabs  350  allowing the retaining tabs  350  to rotate upward, the plunger assembly initiates its ascent out of the storage cassette  118 . The platform  356  urges the bills  204  upward against the underside of the paddle  302 . The paddle  302  is equipped with two pairs of slots  324 ,  326  (FIG. 9) to enable the paddle to clear the pairs of retaining tabs  350 . When the paddle  302  ascends past the pairs of retaining tabs  350  the bills  204  are pressed against the lower surfaces  354  of the pairs of retaining tabs  350  by the platform  356 . 
     Referring now to FIG. 13, when the plunger assembly  300  is traveling upward out of the cassette  118 , the rollers  316 ,  318  on the side arms  306 ,  308  engage the respective levers  216 ,  217  and move the respective levers  216 ,  217  from the second (open) position to the first (closed) position to move the gate  210  from the open position to the closed position as the paddle  302  ascends into the escrow compartment  116  after depositing the bills  204  in the storage cassette  118 . The paddle  302  is mounted on the base  304  above the rollers  316 ,  318  on the side arms  306 ,  308  so that the paddle  302  clears the gate  210  before the gate  210  is moved to the closed position. 
     In alternative embodiments of the currency handling device  100 , the output receptacles  106  can be sized to accommodate documents of varying sizes such as various international currencies, stock certificates, postage stamps, store coupons, etc. Specifically, to accommodate documents of different widths, the width of the escrow compartment  116 , the gate  210 , and the storage cassette  118  would need to be increased or decreased as appropriate. The document evaluation device  100  is sized to accommodate storage cassettes  118  and gates  210  of different widths. The entire transport mechanism  104  of the currency handling device  100  is dimensioned to accommodate the largest currency bills internationally. Accordingly, the document handling device  100  can be used to process the currency or documents of varying sizes. 
     In various alternative embodiments, the currency handling device  100  is dimensioned to process a stack of different sized currencies at the same time. For example, one application may require the processing of United States dollars (2.5 inches×6 inches, 6.5 cm×15.5 cm) and French currency (as large as 7.17 inches×3.82 inches, 18.2 cm×9.7 cm). The application may simply require the segregation of the U.S. currency from the French currency wherein the currency handling device  100  delivers U.S. currency to the first lower output receptacle  106   c  and the French currency to the second output receptacle  106   d . In another alternative embodiment, the currency handling device  100  processes a mixed stack of U.S. ten and twenty dollar bills and French one hundred and two hundred Franc notes wherein the currency documents are denominated, counted, and authenticated. In that alternative embodiment, the U.S. ten and twenty dollar bills are delivered to the first  106   c  and second  106   d  lower output receptacles, respectively, and the French one hundred and two hundred Franc notes are delivered to the third  106   e  and fourth  106   f  lower output receptacle, respectively. In other alternative embodiments, the currency handling device  100  denominates, counts, and authenticates six different types of currency wherein, for example, Canadian currency is delivered to the first lower output receptacle  106   c , United States currency is delivered to the second output receptacle  106   d , Japanese currency is delivered to the third lower output receptacle  106   e , British currency is delivered to the fourth lower output receptacle  106   f , French currency is delivered to the fifth lower output receptacle  106   g , and German currency is delivered to the sixth lower output receptacle  106   h . In another embodiment, no call bills or other denominations of currency, such as Mexican currency for example, may be directed to the second upper output receptacle  106   b . In another embodiment, suspect bills are delivered to the first upper output receptacle  106   a.    
     In other alternative embodiments of the currency handling device  100 , the user can vary the type of documents delivered to the output receptacles  106 . For example, in one alternative embodiment an operator can direct, via the control unit  120 , that a stack of one, five, ten, twenty, fifty, and one-hundred United States dollar bills be denominated, counted, authenticated, and directed into lower output receptacles  106   c - 106   h , respectively. In still another alternative embodiment, the currency handling device  100  is also instructed to deliver other bills, such as a United States two dollar bill or currency documents from other countries that have been mixed into the stack of bills, to the second upper output receptacle  106   b . In still another alternative embodiment, the currency handling device  100  is also instructed to count the number and aggregate value of all the currency bills processed and the number and aggravate value of each individual denomination of currency bills processed. These values can be communicated to the user via the display/user-interface  122  of the currency handling device  100 . In still another alternative embodiment, no call bills and bills that are stacked upon one another are directed to the second upper output receptacle  106   b . In still another alternative embodiment, the operator can direct that all documents failing an authentication test be delivered to the first upper output receptacle  106   a . In another alternative embodiment, the operator instructs the currency handling device  100  to deliver no call bills, suspect bills, stacked bills, etc. to one of the lower output receptacles  106   c - 106   h . The currency handling device  100  which has eight output receptacles  106   a - 106   h  provides a great deal of flexibility to the user. And in other alternative embodiments of the currency handling device  100 , numerous different combinations for processing documents are available. 
     According to one embodiment, the various operations of the currency handling device  100  are controlled by processors disposed on a number of printed circuit boards (“PCBs”) such as ten PCBs located throughout the device  100 . In one embodiment of the present invention, the processors are Motorola processors, model number 86HC16, manufactured by Motorola, Inc. of Schaumburg, Ill. Each of the processors are linked to a central controller via a general purpose communications controller disposed on each PCB. In one embodiment of the present invention the communications controller is an ARCNET communications controller, model COM20020, manufactured by Standard Microsystems Corporation of Hauppauge, N.Y. The communications controller enables the central controller to quickly and efficiently communicate with the various components linked to the PCBs. 
     According to one embodiment, two PCBs, a “motor board” and a “sensor board,” are associated with each pair of lower output receptacles  106   c - 106   h . The first two lower output receptacles  106   c,d , the second two lower output receptacles  106   e,f , and the last two lower output receptacles  106   g,h  are paired together. Each of the lower output receptacles  106  contain sensors which track the movement of the bills into the lower output receptacles  106   c - 106   h , detect whether each storage cassette  118   a - 118   e  is positioned within the currency handling device  100 , detect whether the doors  359  of the storage cassettes  118  are opened or closed, and whether the cassettes  118  are full. These aforementioned sensors associated with each pair of the lower output receptacles are tied into a sensor board which is linked to the central controller. The operation of the plunger assembly  300 , the stacker wheels  202 , the portion of transportation mechanism  104  disposed above the lower output receptacles  116   c - 116   h , and the diverters  130  are controlled by processors disposed on the motor board associated with each pair of lower output receptacle&#39;s  106   c - 106   h . Those sensors  130  which track the movement of bills along the transportation mechanism  104  that are disposed directly above the lower output receptacles  106   c - 106   h  are also tied into the respective motor boards. 
     One of the four remaining PCBs is associated with the operation of the one or two stacker wheels  127  associated with the upper output receptacles  106   a,b , the stripping wheels  140 , the primary drive motor of the evaluation region  108 , a diverter which direct bills to the two upper output receptacles  106   a,b , and the diverter which then directs bills between the two upper output receptacles  106   a,b . The remaining three PCBs are associated with the operation of the transport mechanism  104  and a diverter which directs bills from the transport path to the bill facing mechanism  110 . The plurality of sensors  130  disposed along the transport mechanism  104 , used to track the movement of bills along the transport mechanism  104 , also tied into these three remaining PCBs. 
     Referring now to FIGS. 19-22, a two belt bill facing mechanism  400  is illustrated. The two belt bill facing mechanism  400  is an alternative embodiment of the bill facing mechanism  110  referred to in FIGS. 1 a  and  1   b  and in the above related discussion. The two belt bill facing mechanism  400  can be used in conjunction with the currency handling device  100  shown in FIGS. 1 a  and  1   b  to rotate the orientation of a bill  401  approximately 180°. For example, if a U.S. bill, for example, is initially presented with the surface bearing a portrait of a president facing down, it may be directed to the two belt bill facing mechanism  400 , whereupon it will be rotated 180° so that the bill surface with the portrait faces up. The decision may be taken to send a bill  401  to the facing mechanism  400  when the selected mode of operation or other operator instructions call for maintaining a given face orientation of bills as they are processed by the currency handling device  100 . For example, it may be desirable in certain circumstances for all of the bills ultimately delivered to the lower output receptacles  106   c - 106   h  to have the same face orientation. In such embodiments of the currency handling device  100 , the bill evaluation region  108  is capable of determining the face orientation of a bill, such that a bill not having the desired face orientation can first be directed to the two belt bill facing mechanism  400  before being delivered to the appropriate lower output receptacle  106   c - 106   h.    
     The two belt bill facing mechanism  400  (“facing mechanism”) includes a first belt  402  and a second belt  404 . Each of the first and the second belts  402 ,  404  forms a continuous loop. The belts  402 ,  404  are disposed adjacent to each other such that the opposing surfaces of each belt  402 ,  404  forms a bill facing transport path  406 . The belts  402 ,  404  are twisted together so that an inlet  408  of the transport path  406  is rotated approximately 180° with respect to an outlet  410  of the transport path  406 . 
     The first and second belts  402 ,  404  are each wrapped around two rollers. The first belt  402  is positioned around a first roller  412  disposed adjacent the inlet  408  and a second roller  414  disposed adjacent the outlet  410 . The second belt  404  is positioned around a third roller  416  disposed adjacent the inlet  408  and a fourth roller  418  disposed adjacent the outlet  410 . As illustrated in FIG. 19, the first and second rollers  412 ,  414 , associated with the first belt, are positioned such that the first roller  412  is the “top” roller at the inlet  408  and the second roller  414  is the “bottom” roller at the outlet  410 . The third and forth rollers  416 ,  418 , associated with the second belt, are positioned such that the third roller  416  is the “bottom” roller at the inlet  408  and the forth roller  418  is the “top” roller at the outlet  410 . This arrangement allows the for the “twisted” bill facing mechanism transport path  406 . Starting from the inlet  408 , a first end  402   a  of the first belt  402  is placed around the first roller  412  which is disposed above the third roller  416  around which a first end  404   a  of the second belt  404  is placed. Viewing FIG. 19 from right to left, the first and the second belts  402 ,  404  are together twisted 180° out of the page. The second end  404   b  of the second belt  404  is now disposed above the second end  402   b  of the first belt  402 . The second end  404   b  of the second belt  404  is positioned around the forth roller  418  and the second end  402   b  of the first belt  402  is positioned around the third roller  414 . Between the inlet  408  and the outlet  410 , that is between the rollers, there is no structure supporting the portions of the first or the second belts  402 ,  404  which define the bill transport path  406 . The rollers are connected to shafts  419  about which the rollers rotates. In one embodiment of the two belt bill facing mechanism, the rollers  414 ,  418  are driven rollers and the rollers  412 ,  416  are passive rollers. In such an embodiment, a motor (not shown) is coupled to the shafts  419  associated with driven rollers  414 ,  418 . 
     Two belt guides  420  (FIGS. 19 and 20) are used to guide the portion of the belts not defining the transport path  406  or the return portion  422  of the belts away from the transport path. The return portion  422  of the belts  402 ,  404  is drawn away from the transport path  406  to insure that the return portion  422  does not contact a bill  401  traveling along the transport path  406  causing the bill  401  to become skewed relative to the transport path  406 . Each belt guide  420  is attached to a structure  424  which is fixed to the currency handling device  100 . In FIGS. 19 and 20, only the first belt guide  420  is clearly illustrated. In the illustrated embodiment, each belt guide  420  includes one vertical roller and two horizontal rollers  426 . The vertical roller associated with the second belt guide  420  is labeled with reference number  427 . The interior of each belt  402 ,  404  travels against the vertical roller. Any vertical movement of the return portion  422  of the belt is constrained by the two horizontal rollers  426  along which the edges  428 ,  429  of the belts  402 ,  404  travel. In an alternative embodiment, the belt guide  420  only contains one horizontal roller  426  to limit the vertical movement of the return portions of the belts. 
     In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 20, the two belt bill facing mechanism contains belt end guides  440 . The belt end guides  440  are used to maintain the position of belts  402 ,  404  on rollers  412 ,  416 . The belt guides limit any horizontal movement of the belts  402 ,  404  at their first ends  402   a ,  404   b . In another embodiment of the two, belt bill facing mechanism two more belt end guides are used to limit any horizontal of the belts  402 ,  404  at the second ends  402   b ,  404   b . The belt end guides  440  consists of a structure  442  and two rollers  444 . Because the belt guides  420  pull the return portion  422  away from the transport path  406 , the belt guide rollers  444  maintain the belt ends on the rollers  412 ,  414 ,  416 ,  418  and prohibit any movement of the belts  402 ,  404  off of the rollers  412 ,  414 ,  416 ,  418 . 
     The bill facing mechanism  400  also contains four guides  431 ,  432 ,  433 ,  434  disposed along the bill transport path  406 . Each of these guides are also fixed to the structures  424 . The guides  431 - 434  are made out of a rigid material. A bill is transported through the bill facing mechanism (as well as the through the transport mechanism  104  of currency handling device  100 ) with the leading edge of the bill being the long or wide edge of the bill  401 . The width of the bill  401  is greater than the width of the first and the second belts  402 ,  404  causing a significant portion of the bill  401  to overhang each edge of the belts  402 ,  404 . The function of the guides is to provide support to those portions of the bill  401  which overhang the belts  402 ,  404 . Because of the high processing rate at which the currency handling device  100  operates, a significant angular velocity is imparted to a bill directed through the facing mechanism. In alternative embodiments of the currency handling device  100 , bills are processed at speeds in excess of 1200 bills per minute. The differences in air pressures acting on the front and the back surfaces areas of the bill  401  can cause the bill  401  to fold or be forced such that the bill is no longer being transported in a substantially flat manner. This situation can occur more readily when the bill stiffness is degraded due to bill wear resulting from heavy usage. Additionally, bills are often folded in a variety of manners which may cause a bill to be biased in a certain direction such that the bill will not lie flat under its own weight. It is preferable for the bill  401  to be transported through the bill facing mechanism  400  (and the currency handling device  100 ) in a substantially flat manner. If the bill  401  is not substantially flat when traveling from the outlet  410  of the bill facing mechanism  400  back into the bill transport mechanism  104  there is a possibility that the bill may become skewed at the interface between the outlet  410  and the transport mechanism  104  because the transport mechanism  104  may not “catch” the entire leading edge of the bill. 
     In operation, a bill  401 , shown in position E, enters the inlet  408  of the bill facing mechanism  400  and is transported along the bill facing transport path  406  in a direction from right to left indicated by arrow D. The bill  401  adjacent to the outlet  410  is shown in position F which is a 180° rotation from position E. Referring to the bill  401  in position E, the bill  401  has narrow edges  450 ,  451  and surfaces  452 ,  453 . The first and second belts  402 ,  404 , a portion of which define the transport path  406 , are twisted causing the bill  401  to rotate in manner such that the (near) edge  450  of the bill  401  drops into the page and the (far) edge  451  of the bill  401  rotates up and out of the page. As the bill  401  travels through the bill transport path  406 , the surface  452  towards the (near) edge  450  of the bill  401  is guided by the first guide  431 . The surface  453  towards the (far) edge  451  of the bill  401  is supported by the second guide  432 . The guides  431 ,  432  support their respective surfaces of the bill  401  until the bill  401  is substantially in a vertical position. As the bill continues to travel towards the outlet  410  the edge  451  (now at the top of the page) continues to rotate out of the page while the edge  450  (now at the bottom of the page) rotates into the page. Continuing, the surface  453  towards the edge  451  is being guided by the guide  433 . The surface  452  towards edge  450  is being guided by the guide  434 . When the bill arrives at the outlet  410 , the orientation of the bill has been rotated 180°. The bill then merges into the transport mechanism  104  of the currency handling device  104 . 
     While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof have been shown by way of example in the drawings and herein described in detail. It should be understood, however, that it is not intended to limit the invention to the particular forms disclosed, but on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.