Patent Publication Number: US-8973917-B2

Title: Deposit module

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a deposit module for use in a Self-Service Terminal (SST) and a method of operating a deposit module. 
     Various types of Self-Service Terminal (SST) are known in which items of media can be dispensed and/or deposited. For example, an SST may be an Automated Teller Machine (ATM), kiosk, or the like. Such terminals are used to store items of media as sheet-like elements and dispense these from time to time as requested by a user. Certain SSTs also enable users to deposit such items of media from time to time. The items of media themselves, which can be currency notes, checks, giros, lottery tickets, envelopes or the like, are typically shaped in a non-symmetric fashion. That is to say, for example, currency notes are typically rectangular in shape having two parallel spaced apart long edges and two parallel spaced apart short edges. In certain SSTs or certain modules within certain SSTs the items of media must be presented and processed in a specific orientation. For example, in an ATM, cash dispensers and cash and check acceptors transport and store their documents in different orientations approximately 90° different to each other. This makes them and bin modules and cassettes used in such terminals/modules incompatible with each other. Cash dispensers conventionally move cash through their modules long edge first. By contrast, some cash and check acceptors move documents short edge first. This makes for a considerable degree of incompatibility between differing terminals and modules which increases cost and reduces a user experience at the terminal since different slots having different sizes to receive or dispense items of media in different orientations must be provided in a front panel of the ATM. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an aim of the present invention to at least partly mitigate the above-mentioned problems. 
     It is an aim of certain embodiments of the present invention to make it possible to deposit items of media such as currency notes long edge first or short edge first at a user interface of an SST and for those items to be rotated internally within the terminal so that they can subsequently be transported and processed in a long edge first orientation. 
     It is an aim of certain embodiments of the present invention to enable items of media, such as currency notes, to be presented by a user long edge first and for these to be rotated within a terminal so that they can subsequently be transported and/or processed short edge first. 
     It is an aim of certain embodiments of the present invention to enable items of media, such as currency notes, to be presented by a user at an SST in multiple possible orientations. Thereafter, items of media are processed internally within the SST with each individual item being automatically orientated into a required orientation appropriate to a process that is to be applied to that item. According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a deposit module, comprising:
         a first region in which a media item is transported in a first orientation;   a further region in which the media item is transported in a further orientation; and   a re-orientation device that (i) transports the media item between the first and further regions and (ii) rotates the media item between the first and further orientations.       

     Aptly, the re-orientation device comprises:
         a rotatable item guide rotatable by a drive shaft; and   at least one clamping element that selectively clamps an item of media to move with the item guide, and automatically releases a clamped item from the item guide, as the item guide rotates to a pre-determined location.       

     Aptly, the re-orientation device further comprises:
         a housing comprising a cam surface; wherein   the clamping element comprises an abutment surface that engages with the cam surface to selectively clamp and release an item of media at pre-determined locations as the clamping element rotates with respect to the cam surface.       

     Aptly, the re-orientation device further comprises:
         a base comprising a lower bearing race;   a retainer comprising a plurality of rollers; and   an upper bearing race on a lower surface of the item guide.       

     Aptly, the deposit module further comprises:
         a drive belt that connects the drive shaft to a motor;   a timing disc carried on the drive shaft and comprising at least one mark; and   at least one sensor that determines a location of each mark.       

     Aptly, the deposit module further comprises a first roller that selectively drives an item of media along the first region towards and/or away from the re-orientation device. 
     Aptly, the deposit module further comprises a solenoid that selectively locates said first roller in an engaged or disengaged mode of operation. 
     Aptly, the deposit module further comprises a further roller that selectively drives an item of media along said further region towards and/or away from the re-orientation device. 
     Aptly, the deposit module further comprises a solenoid that selectively locates said further roller in an engaged or disengaged mode of operation. 
     Aptly, the transport path is bi-directional. 
     Aptly, the first orientation is rotated substantially 90° with respect to the further orientation. 
     Aptly, the deposit module further comprises a first axis of transport associated with the first region is substantially parallel to and spaced apart from a further axis of transport associated with the further region. 
     Aptly, the deposit module is an Automated Teller Machine (ATM) and each item of media is a currency note or check. 
     According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a Self-Service Terminal (SST) incorporating the deposit module of the first aspect of the invention. 
     The SST may comprise an ATM. 
     According to a third aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of transporting at least one item of media along a transport path in a deposit module, comprising the steps of:
         transporting an item of media along a first region or a further region of a guide surface;   transporting the item of media from a one of the first or further regions to a remainder one of the first or further regions via a re-orientation device; and   transporting the item of media along a remainder one region; whereby   as said item of media is transported between the first and further regions, an item of media is re-orientated from an orientation associated with said a one region to an orientation associated with said remainder one region.       

     According to a fourth aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of re-orientating an item of media in a deposit module, comprising the steps of:
         transporting an item of media, in a first orientation, to a turntable;   rotating the turntable to re-orientate the item of media; and   transporting the re-orientated item of media from the turntable.       

     According to a fifth aspect of the present invention there is provided a Self-Service Terminal (SST) for transporting at least one item of media along a transport path, comprising:
         at least one guide surface comprising a first region in which an item of media is transported in a first orientation with respect to a respective direction of transport, and a further region in which an item of media is transported in a further orientation with respect to a respective direction of transport; and   a re-orientation module that transports an item of media between the first and further regions and rotates an item of media received at a one of the first and further regions into an orientation associated with a remainder one of the first and further regions.       

     According to a sixth aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of transporting at least one item of media along a transport path in a Self-Service Terminal (SST), comprising the steps of:
         transporting an item of media along a first region or a further region of a guide surface;   transporting the item of media from a one of the first or further regions to a remainder one of the first or further regions via a re-orientation module; and   transporting the item of media along a remainder one region; whereby   as said item of media is transported between the first and further regions, an item of media is re-orientated from an orientation associated with said a one region to an orientation associated with said remainder one region.       

     According to a seventh aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of re-orientating an item of media in a Self-Service Terminal (SST), comprising the steps of:
         transporting an item of media, in a first orientation, to a turntable;   rotating the turntable to re-orientate the item of media; and   transporting the re-orientated item of media from the turntable.       

     The turntable may rotate in a plane parallel to an entrance slot of the SST. According to an eighth aspect of the present invention there is provided a deposit module, for transporting at least one item of media along a transport path, comprising:
         at least one guide surface comprising a first region in which an item of media is transported in a first orientation with respect to a respective direction of transport, and a further region in which an item of media is transported in a further orientation with respect to a respective direction of transport; and   a re-orientation module that transports an item of media between the first and further regions and rotates an item of media received at a one of the first and further regions into an orientation associated with a remainder one of the first and further regions.       

     Certain embodiments of the present invention enable a transported document to be rotated through about around 90° or more, for example, from a short edge orientation to a long edge orientation within an SST or deposit module, making it possible to transport items into a first region where items must travel long edge first from a source of items which provides items in a short edge first configuration. 
     Certain embodiments of the present invention enable items to be returned from a long edge first source to a short edge first target location. 
     Certain embodiments of the present invention rotate documents being transported through about around 90°, for example, from short edge to long edge first orientations. 
     Certain embodiments of the present invention enable items of media to be automatically rotated to a desired onward orientation appropriate to a pathway which is to be followed subsequent to the orientation step. In this way multiple input paths and multiple output paths can be interconnected by a common orientation device. The transport paths may be spaced apart radially about the re-orientation device and the items of media are rotated through an appropriate angle of rotation for onward transport. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
       Embodiments of the present invention will now be described hereinafter, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: 
         FIGS. 1A-1B  illustrate a Self-Service Terminal (SST) in the form of an Automated Teller Machine (ATM); 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a guide surface including driven rollers and drive belts according to an embodiment of the present invention which defines a region of a transport path within a deposit module in the ATM; 
         FIG. 3  illustrates the activation of transport idlers and guide belts in an upper guide that move items of media along the transport path; 
         FIG. 4  illustrates an item of media at various stages as it is transported along the transport path in different orientations; 
         FIG. 5  illustrates two different orientations of an item of media; 
         FIG. 6  illustrates the location of sensors used to detect when an item of media is at a respective pre-determined location along the transport path; 
         FIG. 7  illustrates how an item of media is clamped to a rotatable turntable within the deposit module; 
         FIG. 8  illustrates clamping of an item of media to the turntable shown in  FIG. 7 ; 
         FIG. 9  illustrates a camming surface used to help clamp an item of media to the rotating turntable shown in  FIG. 8 ; 
         FIG. 10  illustrates an exploded view of the turntable; and 
         FIG. 11  illustrates an underside view of the turntable of  FIG. 7  including a view of a drive mechanism for rotating the turntable. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
     In the drawings like reference numerals refer to like parts. 
       FIG. 1A  illustrates a self-service dispense and deposit terminal in the form of an Automated Teller Machine (ATM)  100 . It will be appreciated that certain embodiments of the present invention are applicable to a wide variety of terminals in which items of media such as checks and/or currency notes and/or giros and/or lottery tickets and/or envelopes and/or other such flexible sheet-like items of media are to be transported prior to dispensation or after deposit. The type of terminal will of course be appropriate for the type of items of media being transported. 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 1A , the ATM  100  includes a fascia  101  coupled to a chassis (not shown). The fascia  101  defines an aperture  102  through which a camera (not shown) images a customer of the ATM  100 . The fascia  101  also defines a number of slots for receiving and dispensing media items and a tray  103  into which coins can be dispensed. The slots include a statement output slot  104 , a receipt slot  105 , a card reader slot  106 , a cash dispense slot  107 , a cash and check deposit slot  108  and a branding badge  110 . The slots and tray are arranged such that the slots and tray align with corresponding ATM modules mounted within the chassis of the ATM. 
     The fascia  101  provides a user interface for allowing an ATM customer to execute a transaction. The fascia  101  includes an encrypting keyboard  120  for allowing an ATM customer to enter transaction details. A display  130  is provided for presenting screens to an ATM customer. 
     Within the chassis of the ATM  100  it will be understood that items of media must be transported from time to time from one location to another. The pathway taken by any particular item of media is dependent upon an operation being carried out at the ATM and may also be dependent upon other factors such as whether a user of the ATM is authorized and/or whether an item of media being transported satisfies certain pre-determined criteria. 
     A media item depository  150  is shown in more detail in  FIG. 1B . The deposit module  150  includes a chassis  155  onto which various parts are mounted. The depository  150  further includes a bunch deposit slot  108  at which a customer (not shown) can introduce a bunch  157  of currency notes or other such items of media (such as checks). This enables the sheet items of media to be deposited by a customer. A bunch loader  158  co-operates with an upper loading unit  160  and a lower dispatch unit  162 . These co-operate to receive the bunch of items of media and move them to a pick unit  165  or return them to a customer via slot  108  respectively. The pick unit  165  is aligned with the bunch loader  158  for removing individual sheets from the bunch of sheets  157 . A sheet validator  170  determines whether the items of media are valid. An escrow  175  is provided for temporarily storing validated sheets until a customer confirms they wish to complete a transaction. A storage compartment  177  is provided as well as a communication circuit board  180  for communicating with the self-service terminal  100  into which the depository  150  may be installed. An on-board controller  185  is provided for controlling the operation of the depository  150 . 
     The depository  150  includes a plurality of transport units only some of which are described herein. An upper sheet transport section  160  is located above the bunch loader  158  and adjacent to the picker  165 . A lower sheet transport section  162  is located beneath the bunch loader  158  and near the bunch deposit slot  108 . 
     The bunch loader  158  is used to transport deposited currency notes from the bunch deposit slot  108  to the pick unit  165 . 
     There are two different routes that can be taken by an item of media that is inserted into the depository  150 . A first route is shown by arrow A and involves the sheet media item being picked from the bunch of sheets  157 , transported to the picker unit  165 , moved past the validator  170  to be identified and validated, placed in the escrow  175  and from the escrow  175  transported into the storage compartment  177 . 
     The second optional route is shown by the arrow B and involves the sheet item being picked from the bunch of sheets  157 , transported to the picker unit  165 , moved past the validator  170  to be identified and validated, placed in the escrow  175  and from the escrow  175  returned to the customer via a rebunching unit  190  and via the loading unit  158  and lower transport section  162 . 
     As will be understood by those skilled in the art, whether a sheet item is stored (that is to say, follows the route shown by arrow A) or returned to a customer (that is to say, follows a path shown by arrow B) depends on a number of factors, such as whether the sheet is recognized, whether a sheet is validated and/or whether a customer cancels or confirms a transaction or the like. 
       FIG. 2  illustrates a guide surface  200  along which items of media are transported in the deposit module  150 . A re-orientation device  210  in the form of a turntable is located in an intermediate region  215  of the guide surface. To the left hand side (in  FIG. 2 ) of the guide surface  200  is a first region  220  of the guide surface. To the right hand side of  FIG. 2  is a further region  225  of the guide surface  200 . The first region  220 , intermediate region  215  and further region  225  of the guide surface  200  define a bi-directional transport path between the left and right hand sides of the guide surface  200 . It will be understood that uni-directional transport of items of media can be envisaged according to certain other embodiments of the present invention. 
     The turntable  210  and guide surface  200  may be used in any module of an SST. For example, in the illustrated ATM  100  certain embodiments of the present invention may be utilized in deposit modules and/or dispense modules and/or recycle modules. Certain embodiments of the present invention can thus be utilized to change an orientation of a document/item being processed wherever desired. This may be used to increase storage capacity of certain modules. For example, when documents are deposited in a short edge orientation there may be room for only two stacks of items in the depth of a storage container. By contrast, if those items can be rotated 90° then there may be room for four or more stacks. 
     The guide surface  200  provides a support surface that supports and guides items of media as they are transported. Rollers are driven to rotate to move the items of media on the guide surface. The rollers may be arranged in pairs as per the pairs of rollers  230   0 ,  230   1  shown in  FIG. 2  or as single rollers  235 . As is also shown in  FIG. 2 , an arrangement of parallel spaced apart driven endless belts  240  can also be utilized to move items of media along on the guide surface  200 . Various combinations of rollers and belts can of course be envisaged. A clamping point  250  which also operates as a release point depending upon a direction of transport, is provided when the turntable is at one position of rotation. The turntable rotates in a selective controlled manner, as will be described hereinafter in more detail, to locate items of media between this clamping position and a further clamping position (not shown in  FIG. 2 ) where the items of media can again be released or picked up. 
       FIG. 2  also helps illustrate a position of a deskew drive roller  255  which is driven selectively and used to align a currency note being transported in the left to right direction subsequent to re-orientation by the turntable-like mechanism. Items input at a first end  255  of the lower guide surface  200  ride along on an upstanding edge  260  of the guide which helps keep the item correctly aligned. Items leaving the lower guide at a further end  265  ride along an upstanding edge  270  which helps align the item. 
       FIG. 3  helps illustrate an upper guide surface  300  which is opposed to and spaced apart from the lower guide surface  200  shown in  FIG. 2 .  FIG. 3  helps illustrate how a drive solenoid  310  is connected to pairs of idlers  320  via a connecting pin network. With the drive solenoid  310  driven into an engaged mode of operation, the idlers are extended downwardly from a lower surface of the upper guide towards the driven rollers which extend through the lower guide surface. With the solenoid driven into a disengaged mode of operation the idlers  320  are withdrawn from the guide surface and thus the driven rollers below. 
       FIG. 3  also helps illustrate the movement of items of media in a left-to-right mode of operation. In such a mode, items of media are introduced at a first end  330  of the guide surface  300  in a direction of transport illustrated by arrow A. The driven rollers  230   0  and opposed idle rollers move the item of media, such as a currency note, from left to right with an edge of a currency note being located against an abutment surface  260  of the lower guide surface  200  and moved past a circuit board  340  adjacent to the upper guide surface  300 . The items of media eventually reach the turntable  210  which acts as a re-orientation module and which picks up the items of media and rotates them through the intermediate region  215  into a further region  225  of the transport pathway. Here a further solenoid  350  is used to engage or disengage another set of idlers  360  from the drive rollers  230   1 ,  235  in the lower guide surface. A deskew solenoid  370  is activated to release a deskew idler  380 . With the deskew solenoid  370  activated the roller comes into contact with an item of media as it is released from the re-orientation module. The document is caught between the deskew drive roller and an idler which results in the document being moved towards the track base edge. The document is thus forced to align with the track base. Subsequent to deskewing the deskew drive roller is disengaged. The document is thereafter transported by the rollers/idlers and flat belts, long edge first. Items of media are then transported away from the turntable  210  along a direction of transport illustrated by arrow B by drive belts  240  in the lower guide surface and opposed guide belts  385  in the upper guide surface to a further end  390  of the guide surface  300 . 
       FIG. 4  illustrates motion of an item of media  400  in various positions along a transport path in the direction of transport illustrated in  FIG. 3 . The first position of the currency note  400  shown in  FIG. 4  is the position  410  illustrated to the left of the turntable  210 . In this position, the currency note  400  moves in a respective direction of transport A with an edge of the currency note  400  abutting the abutment surface  260  which helps locate the currency note as it is transported. The currency note is moved by virtue of the opposed driven rollers  230  and idlers until it reaches the clamping position  250 . At this stage, a clamping mechanism on the turntable closes to releasably secure the item of media to a rotating element of the turntable. As illustrated in  FIG. 4 , the turntable is then rotated in a counter-clockwise direction about a central axis of rotation. A second position  420 , in which the turntable has begun to turn from the clamping/release position  250  carrying a currency note with it, is illustrated in  FIG. 4 . The rotating parts of the turntable-like mechanism  210  continue to turn in a counter-clockwise fashion until the item of media/currency note  400  reaches a further position  430  illustrated in  FIG. 4 . Shortly thereafter, the turntable element operates in such a way so as to release the item of media. An edge of the currency note  400  thereafter becomes aligned with a further abutment surface  270  in the further region  225  of the transport pathway by operation of the deskew motor and roller. It will be appreciated that during this process the currency note  400  has been re-orientated from a short edge first orientation shown at the first position  410  to a long edge first orientation shown in a fourth position  440  shown in  FIG. 4  with respect to a particular direction of transport. Thereafter, the currency note  400  is driven by the drive rollers and drive belts along a respective direction of transport B. It will be appreciated that the direction of transport illustrated by arrow A and arrow B are substantially parallel but spaced apart. For bi-directional transport a further deskew motor and roller can optionally be included to urge a currency note against the abutment surface  320 . 
       FIG. 5  illustrates two different orientations of a currency note  400 . Each currency note has a first short edge  500  and a further short edge  505 . The short edges are substantially parallel and spaced apart. Each currency note  400  also includes a first long edge  510  and a further long edge  515 . Each long edge is substantially parallel and spaced apart from the other. Each currency note  400  is thus substantially rectangular in shape. In a first orientation  520  a longitudinal axis of the currency note is substantially perpendicular to a direction of transport B. This is described as a long edge first orientation  520 . In a further orientation  530 , a longitudinal axis of the currency note is substantially parallel with a direction of transport. This is described as a short edge first orientation. Items of media having other shapes and thus different possible orientations with respect to a direction of transport can of course be utilized according to certain other embodiments of the present invention. 
       FIG. 6  illustrates how motion of currency notes on the guide surface  200  are monitored and how the arrival of a currency note at a pre-determined position may be detected. An array of sensors  600   0 . . . 8  are illustrated in  FIG. 6 . Each array is utilized to monitor when a leading edge of a currency note reaches a pre-determined position  610  with respect to that sensor array. For example, each sensor array can be a reflectance or transmittance sensor. When a signal from a respective sensor array  600  changes state, this indicates that a leading edge of a currency note has reached a particular position on the guide surface  200 . This is utilized to control driving of rollers, the turntable  210  and/or the drive belts  240 . It will be appreciated that other detection mechanisms can be utilized and could, for example, be utilized to detect a trailing edge of a currency note providing that a shape and size of the item of media being transported is pre-known or previously determined. 
     The document is thus transported short edge first, left to right in  FIG. 6  (or right to left if bi-directional transport is envisaged) with a bottom edge aligned to an abutment surface on the base. The leading and trailing edge of the document is recorded by sensors for document tracking and timing component actuation within the module. For example, when an item of media lead edge passes the sensor  600   2  the document can be slowed down until its lead edge reaches the pre-determined identification location  610  detected by the sensors  600   3 . At this point, the item of media is within the turntable mechanism. Identifying the presence of the item of media at this location triggers a speeding up in rotational speed of the turntable (which is otherwise stationary until the continually running transport system delivers a next item of media at the pre-determined location  610 ) to help match the item velocity to the turntable speed. Slowing the transport velocity prior to clamping a currency note helps avoid misalignment and jams. 
       FIG. 7  illustrates a currency note  400  presented at a clamping position  250  corresponding to a leading edge  500  being detected at the identification position  610  on the guide surface. The re-orientation module  210  includes an upper housing  700 , an upper rotating guide  710 , a lower rotating guide  720  and a base  730 . The base  730  and upper housing  700  are fixed in position rigidly with respect to the guide surface  200 . The rotating upper and lower guides  710 ,  720  are rotated by a drive shaft  740 . One of three clamps  750  carried by the rotating upper and lower guide is utilized to clamp the currency note  400  to move with the rotating upper and lower guides so that the currency note  400  moves with the guides as they are rotated. 
       FIG. 8  illustrates the clamping action in more detail. Each clamp  750  includes a clamping foot  800  which is secured to a plunger  810  and clamp arm  820 . The foot  800 , plunger  810  and arm  820  may be separate elements or may be integrally formed. The clamp arm  820  is pivotably secured about a pivot point  825  to a top surface  830  of the upper guide  710 . The clamp is thus able to pivot up and down in a vertical direction about the pivot point  825 . A top surface  835  of the plunger  810  is a convex abutment surface which rides on a downward facing cam surface  840  of the upper housing  700 . The camming surface, which can be seen more clearly in  FIG. 9 , has a profile which extends downwardly with respect to a lower surface of the upper housing at one or more regions where items of media are to be clamped to the rotating elements of the re-orientation module  210 . The currency notes  400  are secured by being squeezed between a lower surface  845  of the foot  800  of the clamp and a bumper  850  which is secured at a respective position to the lower guide  720 . 
     A ball bearing retainer  855  which is a generally circular plate holding a multitude of ball bearings  860  in a substantially ring-like configuration helps ensure easy rotation of the various rotating elements of the re-orientation module  210 . The ball bearings run in an upper race  870  on a lower surface of the lower guide and a lower race  880  in an upper surface of the base  730 . 
       FIG. 9  illustrates a further view of the re-orientation module  210  and, in particular, helps illustrate how a camming surface  840  which is utilized to press down on the plunger  810  of each clamp arm  820  is provided by the body of the upper housing  700 . Each clamp arm is spring biased against the upper cam surface. In more detail, the lower surface  840  of the upper housing  700  is generally circular but from a recessed region  900  the lower surface  840  generally extends downwardly in an intermediate region  910  into a lower running region  920 . As noted previously, the housing is fixed in place with respect to the guide surface  200  but as the drive shaft  740  is rotated the upper and lower guide plates  710 ,  720  carrying the clamps rotate with respect to the camming surface. The upper abutment surfaces of the plungers of each clamp ride on the camming surface  840  as the guide plates carrying the plungers rotate. In the recessed regions the clamps are biased away from opposed bumpers  880  carried on the lower guide. As the upper and lower guide elements rotate during the accelerating phase of rotation when an item of media is identified at the identification location  610 , an abutment surface rides on the camming surface and begins to move downwardly in the intermediate region  910  of the camming surface. The steadily downwardly inclined and smooth camming surface thus generally presses the plunger downwardly thereby clamping any item of media between the plunger and an opposed bumper. The continued rotation of the upper and lower guides by driving the drive shaft  740  continues to rotate the upper and lower guides. Eventually, a further intermediate region  930  of the camming surface provides a transitional region in which a clamp plunger begins to lift away from an item of media. This releases the item of media. The camming surface in the housing then reaches the recessed region  840  which extends in a circular shape so that the abutment surfaces of plungers can continually ride on the camming surface ready for the next downward transition. The guide plates are decelerated and stopped once an item of media has been suitably released until the next item of media arrives. 
       FIG. 10  illustrates an exploded view of the re-orientation module  210  in more detail. The base  730  is a substantially rigid body having, at a first end  1000  thereof, a circular lower bearing race  880 . A further end region  1010  of the base  730  is used to house a motor  855  and other parts of the re-orientation module  210 . The ball bearing retainer which retains a ring of ball bearings  860  sits on the lower race  880  and the ball bearings  860  in the retainer  855  locate with an upper race  870  in a lower surface of the lower guide  720 . Three clamps  820  are illustrated in  FIG. 10  although the number of clamps can of course be selected according to need. 
       FIG. 11  illustrates an underside of the re-orientation housing and illustrates how a stepper motor  1100  is used to drive a motor drive shaft  1110 . This in turn drives a drive belt  1120  which is used to drive the drive shaft  740 . A sensor plate  1130  is secured to a bottom end of the drive shaft  740 . The sensor plate  1130  has three notches  1140  cut into it. Other detectable elements rather than notches could of course be utilized to mark a particular position. As the shaft  740  rotates these notches rotate and the position of the notches is sensed by a sensor  1150 . The motor  1100  is a stepper motor and starts to rotate when an item of media arrives at a set point such as the identification position  610  when a next cycle is to begin. A partial revolution is then carried out to rotate the plunger of the clamp, which is clamping an item of media to the turntable-like mechanism, so that it rides over the length of the downwardly extending camming surface. 
     Certain embodiments of the present invention are usable in a deposit module. Such a module may optionally be incorporated in an SST such as an ATM. 
     Throughout the description and claims of this specification, the words “comprise” and “contain” and variations of them mean “including but not limited to” and they are not intended to (and do not) exclude other moieties, additives, components, integers or steps. Throughout the description and claims of this specification, the singular encompasses the plural unless the context otherwise requires. In particular, where the indefinite article is used, the specification is to be understood as contemplating plurality as well as singularity, unless the context requires otherwise. 
     Features, integers, characteristics or groups described in conjunction with a particular aspect, embodiment or example of the invention are to be understood to be applicable to any other aspect, embodiment or example described herein unless incompatible therewith. All of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), and/or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of the features and/or steps are mutually exclusive. The invention is not restricted to any details of any foregoing embodiments. The invention extends to any novel one, or novel combination, of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), or to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the steps of any method or process so disclosed. 
     The reader&#39;s attention is directed to all papers and documents which are filed concurrently with or previous to this specification in connection with this application and which are open to public inspection with this specification, and the contents of all such papers and documents are incorporated herein by reference.