Patent Abstract:
There is provided a paper currency handling apparatus persistent to the demand for reduction in size and increase in capacity to improve the satisfaction level of users. In a paper currency handling apparatus, a temporary housing is arranged behind a paper currency deposit and withdrawal port; a paper currency discrimination part is arranged behind the temporary housing; conveyance paths conveying a paper currency from below the paper currency let-out part to ahead of the paper currency discrimination part, conveyance paths conveying a paper currency from behind the paper currency discrimination part to the temporary housing once ascending upward, and a paper currency sorting gate going from behind the paper currency discrimination part to the conveyance path to implement sorting to conveying destinations for a first time are included, wherein the paper currency sorting gate is arranged in an upper part behind the temporary housing.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    (1) Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to a paper currency handling apparatus to be mounted on an automatic cash dealing apparatus used in a financial institution, for example. 
         [0003]    (2) Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    Conventionally, a paper currency handling apparatus mounted on an automatic cash dealing apparatus used in a financial institution, for example comprises: a paper currency deposit and withdrawal port functioning to let out paper currencies deposited by a user one by one and functioning to discharge withdrawn paper currencies; a paper currency discrimination part discriminating deposited paper currencies or withdrawn paper currencies; a temporary housing for temporarily housing the deposited paper currency; a reject box housing rejected paper currencies which do not reach a predetermined standard at the paper currency discrimination part; a recycle box housing/storing the deposited paper currencies and letting out them as withdrawn paper currency; and a paper currency conveyance path bringing those respective units into connection. 
         [0005]    In such a paper currency handling apparatus, diversification in monetary type and increase in capacity have progressed recently. Thereby, a recycle box is generally arranged in line in the lower part of the apparatus and the other portions are arranged by being integrated into the upper unit in the upper part of the paper currency handling apparatus (see JP-A-2003-208654). 
         [0006]    In the paper currency deposit and withdrawal machine in the above described patent document, a paper currency deposit and withdrawal port, a paper currency discrimination part and a temporary housing are arranged in an upper unit in the upper part of the apparatus to discriminate the deposited paper currency with the paper currency discrimination part and convey the paper currency discriminated as acceptable to the temporary housing. Therefore, the deposit and withdrawal port and the temporary housing are arranged to sandwich the paper currency discrimination part in this order. Thus, in general, in a paper currency deposit and withdrawal machine, a deposit and withdrawal port, a paper currency discrimination part and a temporary housing are arranged in this order from the head of the apparatus. 
         [0007]    Here, in order to discriminate paper currencies with the paper currency discrimination part to convey only acceptable paper currencies to the temporary housing, it is necessary to sort the paper currencies to the conveyance destinations based on the discrimination results of the paper currency discrimination part. And a certain amount of time is required for discrimination with a paper currency discrimination part. It is necessary to sort paper currencies to the temporary housing or the deposit and withdrawal port after a wait until a discrimination result is obtained after a paper currency passes the paper currency discrimination part. In order to buy time for the certain amount of time, the back stage of the paper currency discrimination part is provided with a conveyance path for buying time and that back stage of the conveyance path is provided with sorting branch paths. In order to provide that conveyance path, it is necessary to make the upper unit of the paper currency deposit and withdrawal machine large in the longitudinal direction or in the vertical direction. 
         [0008]    However, in the recent years, reduction in size and increase in capacity for reducing size in the entire size of the paper currency deposit and withdrawal machine and increasing the paper currency housing capacity is required. Therefore, increase in size of the upper unit has been against the demand from the market. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0009]    In view of the above described problems, an object of the invention is to provide a paper currency handling apparatus persistent to the demand for reduction in size and increase in capacity and to establish satisfactory progress for users. 
         [0010]    The present invention is a paper currency handling apparatus, comprising a temporary housing being arranged behind a paper currency deposit and withdrawal part; a paper currency discrimination part being arranged behind the temporary housing; a first conveyance path conveying a paper currency from below the paper currency let-out part to ahead of the paper currency discrimination part; a second conveyance path conveying a paper currency from behind the paper currency discrimination part to the temporary housing once ascending upward; and a first branch part going from behind the paper currency discrimination part to the second conveyance path to implement sorting to conveying destinations for a first time, wherein the first branch part is arranged in an upper part behind the temporary housing. 
         [0011]    The invention can provide a paper currency handling apparatus persistent to the demand for reduction in size and increase in capacity to improve the satisfaction level of users. 
         [0012]    Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of the embodiments of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING 
         [0013]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view illustrating an appearance of an automatic cash dealing apparatus; 
           [0014]      FIG. 2  is a control block diagram illustrating control relation of the automatic cash dealing apparatus; 
           [0015]      FIG. 3  is a control block diagram illustrating control relation of the paper currency handling apparatus inside an automatic cash dealing apparatus; 
           [0016]      FIG. 4  is a sectional side elevation illustrating a configuration of the paper currency handling apparatus; 
           [0017]      FIG. 5  is a sectional side elevation illustrating another arrangement of a paper currency handling apparatus; and 
           [0018]      FIG. 6  is a sectional side elevation illustrating still another arrangement of a paper currency handling apparatus. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0019]    An embodiment of the present invention together with the drawings will be described below. 
       Example 1 
       [0020]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view illustrating an appearance of an automatic cash dealing apparatus. 
         [0021]    An automatic cash dealing apparatus  101  comprises, in its left interior, a card and ATM receipt processing mechanism  102  communicating with a card slot  102   a  provided in an upper front plate  101   a  to process cards of users, print and discharge ATM receipts and a customer operation part  105  displaying contents of dealing and receiving inputs. The automatic cash dealing apparatus  101  in its entirety is surrounded by an apparatus enclosure  101   c . The automatic cash dealing apparatus  101  comprises, in its right interior, a paper currency handling apparatus  1  processing paper currencies with an inclined upper front plate  101   b  provided with a deposit and withdrawal port shutter  20   a . That automatic cash dealing apparatus  101  with its front surface as a service interface carries out processing such as depositing, payment and transfer by users through cards, paper currencies and ATM receipts. 
         [0022]      FIG. 2  is a control block diagram illustrating control relation of the automatic cash dealing apparatus  101 . 
         [0023]    The card and ATM receipt processing mechanism  102 , the paper currency handling apparatus  1  and the customer operation part  105  housed in the automatic cash dealing apparatus  101  are respectively connected to the body control part  107  with wiring such as a USB to carry out required operations under control of the body control part  107 . In addition, an outside interface part  107   b , a staff operation part  107   c  and an outside storage device  107   d  are connected to the body control part  107  by bus connection and the like to carry out required data exchange. Here,  101   d  denotes a power supply part supplying the above described respective mechanism portions and components with electric power. 
         [0024]      FIG. 3  is a control block diagram illustrating control relation of the paper currency handling apparatus  1  arranged in the automatic cash dealing apparatus  101 . 
         [0025]    The control part  10  of the paper currency handling apparatus  1  is connected to the body control part  107  of the automatic cash dealing apparatus  101  through wiring; controls the paper currency handling apparatus  1  according to commands from the body control part  107  and detection on the state of the paper currency handling apparatus  1  being a deposit and withdrawal machine; and sends the state of the paper currency handling apparatus  1  to the body control part  107  as required. 
         [0026]    The paper currency handling apparatus  1  also includes a drive motor, an electromagnetic solenoid, and a sensor and the like (not illustrated in the drawing) in the respective units (a paper currency deposit and withdrawal port  20  as a paper currency deposit and withdrawal part, a paper currency discrimination part  3 , a temporary housing  40 , a conveyance path  50 , a reject box  60  and recycle boxes  71  to  74  as paper currency housings) to activate and control the actuators (the drive motor and the electromagnetic solenoid and the like) while monitoring states with the sensor according to deals to be described later. 
         [0027]      FIG. 4  is a sectional side elevation illustrating a configuration of the paper currency handling apparatus  1 . 
         [0028]    The paper currency handling apparatus  1  is roughly divided into and configured by an upper paper currency mechanism  1   a  and a lower paper currency mechanism  1   b.    
         [0029]    The upper paper currency mechanism  1   a , to which mechanisms necessary for exchanging paper currencies mainly with users are integrated, is configured by a paper currency deposit and withdrawal port  20  for users to put in and take out paper currencies, a paper currency discrimination part  30  discriminating paper currencies, a temporary housing  40  for temporarily housing the deposited paper currencies up to completion of a deal; a reject box  60  housing paper currencies not served for withdrawal; and a control part  10 . Here, in  FIG. 4 , the control part  10  is not illustrated but omitted. In addition, the temporary housing  40  comprises space for temporarily housing paper currencies, a conveyance roller, an impeller and the like for accumulating paper currencies in the space and is unitized as illustrated with broken lines in the drawing. 
         [0030]    The lower paper currency mechanism  1   b  is provided with a plurality of recycle boxes  71  to  74  for housing the deposited paper currencies according to monetary types and letting out paper currencies to be withdrawn. 
         [0031]    For detailed description on the upper paper currency mechanism  1   a , the paper currency deposit and withdrawal port  20  is arranged on the forefront side to become a service interface and the temporary housing  40  is arranged behind the paper currency deposit and withdrawal port  20  adjacently. Behind the temporary housing  40 , a paper currency discrimination part  30  is arranged a little apart from the temporary housing  40 . 
         [0032]    The paper currency deposit and withdrawal port  20  is configured by a paper currency let-out part  20   b  letting out downward a paper currency put in from above in the state where the upper shutter  20   a  is open and a paper currency accumulation part  20   c  accumulating paper currencies conveyed from downward in series arrangement in this order. 
         [0033]    The lower end of the paper currency let-out part  20   b  is connected to the forward surface of the paper currency discrimination part  30  with a conveyance path  51   a  and a conveyance path  51   b  as a first conveyance path extending in the backward and forward directions. Midway in the conveyance path  51   a , a paper currency sorting gate  50   c  is provided as a second branch part for sorting paper currencies to the lower paper currency mechanism  1   b.    
         [0034]    The rear face of the paper currency discrimination part  30  is connected to the rear lower part of the temporary housing  40  with conveyance paths  52 ,  53  and  54  as a second conveyance path. The conveyance path  52  temporarily rises upwards from substantially center part in the vertical direction of the rear face of the paper currency discrimination part  30 ; goes substantially horizontally above the paper currency discrimination part  30  in the forward direction; and is connected to the paper currency sorting gate  50   a  as the first branch part provided in an upper position in the vicinity of the forward face of the paper currency discrimination part  30 . 
         [0035]    The paper currency sorting gate  50   a  is arranged in an upper position behind the temporary housing  40  and in a position closer to the back surface of the temporary housing  40  as much as possible. In addition, the paper currency sorting gate  50   a  is positioned behind the forward surface of the paper currency discrimination part  30  and above the upper surface of the paper currency discrimination part  30 . For the example 1, from the paper currency discrimination part  30 , the paper currency sorting gate  50   a  is arranged in a position in the vicinity of the upper forward part of the paper currency discrimination part  30 . 
         [0036]    The conveyance path  53  progresses forward-obliquely in the downward direction from the paper currency sorting gate  50   a  and is connected to the paper currency sorting gate  50   b  provided below and behind the temporary housing  40 . The conveyance path  54  establishes connection between the paper currency sorting gate  50   b  and the temporary housing  40 . 
         [0037]    Connection between the paper currency sorting gate  50   b  and the lower end of the paper currency accumulation part  20   c  is established by the conveyance path  55 . The conveyance path  55  extends substantially horizontally in the forward and backward directions. Accordingly, connection between the back of the paper currency discrimination part  30  and the paper currency accumulation part  20   c  is established by the conveyance paths  52 ,  53  and  55 . 
         [0038]    Connection between the paper currency sorting gate  50   a  and the forward upper end of the reject box  60  is established by the conveyance path  56 . The conveyance path  56  extends backward from the paper currency sorting gate  50   a  substantially horizontally and thereafter goes downward and backward-obliquely. 
         [0039]    The lower part of the paper currency sorting gate  50   c  provided midway in the conveyance path  51   a  connecting the paper currency deposit and withdrawal port  20  to the paper currency discrimination part  30  is provided with a conveyance path  57  as a third conveyance path to exchange paper currencies with the lower paper currency mechanism  1   b . The conveyance path  57  extends upward and downward. 
         [0040]    In addition, a paper currency sorting gate  50   j  is provided between the conveyance path  51   a  and conveyance path  51   b . A conveyance path  59  is provided as a fourth conveyance path establishing connection between the paper currency sorting gate  50   j  and the paper currency accumulation part  20   c . Thereby, the paper accumulation part  20   c  of the paper currency deposit and withdrawal port  20  is configured to be capable of housing paper currencies conveyed in any of the forward and backward directions from the paper currency discrimination part  30  and discriminated. 
         [0041]    At least the conveyance paths  51   b ,  52 ,  53 ,  54  and  57  among those conveyance paths are configured so that a paper currency can be conveyed in any direction from upstream to downstream and from downstream to upstream. 
         [0042]    Thus, from upstream to downstream, the paper currency let-out part  20   b  of the deposit and withdrawal port  20 , the conveyance paths  51   a  and  51   b , the paper currency discrimination part  30 , the conveyance path  52 , the paper currency sorting gate  50   a , the conveyance path  53 , the paper currency sorting gate  50   b , the conveyance paths  55  and  59 , and the paper currency accumulation part  20   c  are connected in this order. 
         [0043]    The lower paper currency mechanism  1   b  is provided with recycle boxes  71  to  74  for housing and letting out paper currencies again on the basis of monetary type. A housing box  61  housing paper currencies not served for recycling is mounted further. In addition, above the respective recycle boxes  71  to  74  and the housing box  61 , a substantially horizontal conveyance path  58  connected to the conveyance path  57  provided in the lower part of the upper paper currency mechanism  1   a  and being bi-directionally conveyable is provided to extend backward and forward. Moreover, above the recycle boxes  71  to  74  and the housing box  61 , paper currency sorting gates  50   d  to  50   h  for sorting paper currencies to be housed respectively are provided. 
         [0044]    Next, operations of the paper currency handling apparatus  1  at the occasion of deposit deal processing will be described. 
         [0045]    The paper currency let-out part  20   b  of the paper currency deposit and withdrawal port  20  separates and lets out downward a plurality of deposited paper currencies one by one. The paper currencies let out downward from the paper currency let-out part  20   b  are conveyed backward substantially horizontally by the conveyance paths  51   a  and  51   b  and pass backward from the forward surface through the paper currency discrimination part  30 . The paper currency discrimination part  30  discriminates authenticity, monetary types and a state with or without defects on the passing paper currencies with the internally mounted sensor and the like. 
         [0046]    A paper currency having passed through the paper currency discrimination part  30  is temporarily conveyed upward by the conveyance path  52  from the back surface of the paper currency discrimination part  30  and is further conveyed substantially horizontally in the forward direction. During conveyance by that conveyance path  52 , discrimination by the above described paper currency discrimination part  30  is completed and the paper currency sorting gates  50   a  and  50   b  are switched based on the discrimination result. 
         [0047]    In the case where a paper currency is discriminated to be acceptable by the paper currency discrimination part  30 , the paper currency sorting gates  50   a  and  50   b  are switched toward the temporary housing  40  and the paper currency is conveyed downward and forward by the conveyance paths  53  and  54  to accumulate the paper currency inside the temporary housing  40 . 
         [0048]    In the case where the paper currency is discriminated to be unacceptable by the paper currency discrimination part  30 , the paper currency sorting gates  50   a  and  50   b  are switched toward the paper currency accumulation part  20   c . The paper currency is housed in paper currency accumulation part  20   c  as deposit rejected paper currency and, thereafter, moves to the lower part of the shutter  20   a  by a push plate not illustrated in the drawing. Thereafter, the shutter  20   a  opens and the paper currency is returned to the user. 
         [0049]    All paper currencies thus put in to the paper currency deposit and withdrawal port  20  are processed; the deposited amount of money corresponds to the amount of money counted by the paper currency handling apparatus  1 ; and a user inputs deposit dealing confirmation with the customer operation part  105  (see  FIG. 2 ). Then housing processing is carried out for housing the paper currency temporarily housed in the temporary housing  40  into the recycle boxes  71  to  74 . 
         [0050]    The housing processing switches the paper currency sorting gates  50   a  and  50   b  at first so as to establish connection between the temporary housing  40  and the paper currency discrimination part  30  and switches the paper currency sorting gate  50   c  so as to establish connection between the paper currency discrimination part  30  and the conveyance path  57 . 
         [0051]    Paper currencies let out by the temporary housing  40  one by one are conveyed to the paper currency discrimination part  30  through the conveyance path  54 , the paper currency sorting gate  50   b , the conveyance path  53 , the paper currency sorting gate  50   a  and the conveyance path  52 . The paper currencies having passed the paper currency discrimination part  30  are conveyed by the conveyance paths  51   b  and  51   a  and are conveyed to the conveyance path  57  by the paper currency sorting gate  50   c . The paper currencies are conveyed by the conveyance path  58  of the lower paper currency mechanism  1   b , sorted by the paper currency sorting gates  50   d  to  50   h  switched based on types of money or the like and housed in any one of the housing box  61  and the recycle boxes  71  to  74 . 
         [0052]    Here, in the case of adopting a configuration in which monetary types of paper currencies and the like are discriminated by the paper currency discrimination part  30  during that housing processing and the paper currency sorting gates  50   d  to  50   h  are switched as a result of that discrimination, discrimination is completed to enable switching of the paper currency sorting gates  50   d  to  50   h  while the paper currencies are being conveyed by the conveyance paths  51   b ,  51   a  and  57 . 
         [0053]    Next, operations carried out by the paper currency handling apparatus  1  at the occasion of a withdrawal dealing process will be described. 
         [0054]    For the withdrawal dealing process, a predetermined number of paper currencies are let out one by one from the respective recycle boxes  71  to  74  on the basis of the type of money. The paper currencies let out are conveyed to the paper currency discrimination part  30  by the conveyance paths  58 ,  57 ,  51   a  and  51   b.    
         [0055]    The paper currency discrimination part  30  discriminates whether a passing paper currency is or is not an allowable withdrawal paper currency. 
         [0056]    In the case of an allowable withdrawal paper currency, the paper currency sorting gates  50   a  and  50   b  are switched to establish connection between the paper currency discrimination part  30  and the paper currency accumulation part  20   c  and the paper currency is conveyed up to the paper currency accumulation part  20   c  by the conveyance paths  52 ,  53  and  55  to accumulate paper currencies in the paper currency accumulation part  20   c.    
         [0057]    In case of an unallowable withdrawal paper currency, the paper currency sorting gate  50   a  is switched to establish connection between the paper currency discrimination part  30  and the reject box  60  and the paper currency is conveyed to the reject box  60 . That discrimination and the switching of the paper currency sorting gates  50   a  and  50   b  as a result of discrimination is completed while the paper currency is being conveyed by the conveyance path  52 . 
         [0058]    Thus, when the conveyance operation of the paper currency is over, the shutter  20   a  of the paper currency deposit and withdrawal port  20  is opened. Then the paper currencies accumulated in the paper currency accumulation part  20   c  will be in the state where users can get out the paper currencies. When paper currencies are got out by a user, the shutter  20   a  will be closed. Then the withdrawal process is over. 
         [0059]    A paper currency handling apparatus  1  persistent to the demand for reduction in size and increase in capacity can be provided by the above described configuration and operations. In detail, the deposit and withdrawal port  20 , the temporary housing  40  and, the paper currency discrimination part  30  are arranged in line from forward to backward in this order. The conveyance paths  51  to  55  are arranged along the circumference of those paper currency deposit and withdrawal port  20 , temporary housing  40  and the paper currency discrimination part  30 . Therefore the extra space is deleted to use the space efficiently. Thereby the upper paper currency mechanism  1   a  can be made compact and small. 
         [0060]    In particular, the conveyance path  52  being downstream immediately after the paper currency discrimination part  30  rises upward at the rear exit of the paper currency discrimination part  30 ; changes its direction toward ahead of the apparatus above the paper currency discrimination part  30 ; and is connected to the paper currency sorting gate  50   a  mounted in the vicinity of the temporary housing  40 ; and, therefore, can also be used as the conveyance path for buying time required for the discrimination processing. Thereby, it is not necessary to provide a conveyance path dedicated for waiting for the discrimination result between the paper currency discrimination part  30  and the temporary housing  40  as in the conventional cases but efficient implementation without waste becomes feasible. 
         [0061]    In addition, the conveyance paths  52  and  56  mounted above the paper currency discrimination part  30  extend substantially horizontally in the forward and backward directions. Therefore, only the conveyance belt for conveying paper currencies needs to be implemented so size reduction of the implementation space in the height direction can be achieved. Therefore, even the total of the reduction in implementation space in the height direction even for the paper currency discrimination part  30  and the conveyance paths  52  and  56  thereabove will become feasible. 
         [0062]    In addition, the implementation space of the conveyance paths  52  and  56  in the height direction is reduced. Thereby, that height can be sufficiently reduced even compared with the paper currency deposit and withdrawal port  20  and the temporary housing  40 . The respective units of the paper currency deposit and withdrawal port  20 , the temporary housing  40  and the paper currency discrimination part  30  in the upper paper currency mechanism  1   a  can be mounted substantially horizontally. Thereby, the height of the upper paper currency mechanism  1   a  can be reduced. 
         [0063]    In addition, also in the depth direction, only space sufficient for arranging and mounting the paper currency deposit and withdrawal port  20 , the temporary housing  40  and the paper currency discrimination part  30  will be satisfactory. The space for the conveyance path dedicated for waiting for the result of discrimination to be provided in the back stage of the paper currency discrimination part  30  will become unnecessary and reduction in size also in the depth direction becomes possible. 
         [0064]    In addition, in general, the paper currency housing box (recycle boxes  71  to  74  in the present example) is mounted under the upper paper currency mechanism  1   a . The conveyance route to the temporary housing  40  is caused to rise upward from the back of the paper currency discrimination part  30  to pass above the paper currency discrimination part  30  and is connected to the temporary housing  40 . Thereby, that conveyance route and the conveyance route from the temporary housing  40  to the recycle boxes  71  to  74  under the upper paper currency mechanism  1   a  do not cross so more efficient implementation becomes possible. 
         [0065]    In addition, paper currencies accumulated in the temporary housing  40  can be conveyed to the paper currency discrimination part  30  by the conveyance path  59  to be returned to the paper currency deposit and withdrawal port  20  after discrimination. In addition, in the case where cancellation and the like of a deal occurs in the midst of the time of a deposit deal and the like, and in the case of returning the paper currencies accumulated in the temporary housing  40 , the return paper currency can be counted and returned by the conveyance path  59 . In addition, the conveyance path  59  will deprive of necessity of providing a separate conveyance route for conveying the paper currencies let out from the temporary housing  40  directly to the paper currency deposit and withdrawal port  20 . Due to the necessity of the operation for conveying the paper currency let out from the temporary housing  40  to the paper currency discrimination part  30  through the conveyance paths  54 ,  53  and  52  with paper currency housing operations and the like, it is structurally difficult to switch to the side of the paper currency deposit and withdrawal port  20  and the side of the conveyance path  54  immediately after a let-out operation from the temporary housing  40 . However, by providing the conveyance path  59  in communication with the paper currency accumulation part  20   c  of the paper currency deposit and withdrawal port  20  midway in the conveyance path  51   b  as described above, conveyance to the paper currency deposit and withdrawal port  20  can be realized. 
         [0066]    In addition, by reducing the height of the upper paper currency mechanism  1   a  in the upward and downward directions, while the height of the paper currency handling apparatus  1  in its entirety is kept as in the conventional cases, the height of the housing box  61  and the recycle boxes  71  to  74  can be increased to enable increase in housing amount of paper currency in the housing box  61  and the recycle boxes  71  to  74 . 
         [0067]    In addition, the reject box  60  is provided ahead of the paper currency sorting gate  50   a . Thereby, after the conveyance path  52  saves the distance required for discrimination in the paper currency discrimination part  30 , the paper currencies can be conveyed to the reject box  60 . 
         [0068]    Here, the above described example is configured by one-way conveyance path  51   a  from the front to the rear. However, this conveyance path  51   a  can be realized by a bi-directionally conveyable path. Thereby, the paper currencies remaining in the conveyance paths  51   a ,  51   b  and the like will become returnable to the paper currency deposit and withdrawal port  20  by reversing the conveyance paths  51   a ,  51   b  and the like. In particular, for the conveyance path inside the paper currency discrimination part  30 , it is necessary to narrow thickness of the conveyance path for performance of the sensor for discrimination. Therefore, in the case where a paper currency remains between the paper currency discrimination part  30  and the paper currency deposit and withdrawal port  20 , rather than returning paper currencies to the deposit and withdrawal port through the paper currency discrimination part  30 , by reversing the conveyance paths  51   a  and  51   b  to return the paper currencies directly to the paper currency deposit and withdrawal port  20 , paper currencies become returnable to the paper currency deposit and withdrawal port  20  in a more assured fashion. The paper currency handling apparatus  1  will be able to continue dealing by opening the shutter  20   a  on the upper surface to return paper currencies given back to the paper currency deposit and withdrawal port  20  to a user and to have the user to put in the paper currencies again. 
         [0069]    In addition, in the above described example 1, the conveyance path  51   a  is provided midway with a paper currency sorting gate  50   c  connected to the conveyance path  57  to the lower paper currency mechanism  1   b . The paper currency sorting gate  50   c  can be made movable in the forward and backward directions. Otherwise, a plurality of paper currency sorting gates  50   c  can be provided and divided at a plurality of sites. 
         [0070]    Thereby, for the convenience of implementation to an apparatus such as an automatic cash dealing apparatus  101 , the case of an occurrence of necessity of displacing the implementation position of the upper paper currency mechanism  1   a  with respect to the lower paper currency mechanism  1   b  in the forward and backward directions can be easily dealt with by changing the position of the paper currency sorting gate  50   c . For example,  FIG. 5  illustrates an example of the upper paper currency mechanism  1   a  subjected to forward displacement from the implementation state illustrated in  FIG. 4 .  FIG. 6  illustrates an example of the upper paper currency mechanism  1   a  subjected to backward displacement. 
         [0071]    The present invention will not be limited only to the configuration of the above described embodiment but a lot of embodiments can be obtained. 
         [0072]    It should be further understood by those skilled in the art that although the foregoing description has been made on embodiments of the invention, the invention is not limited thereto and various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

Technology Classification (CPC): 6