Patent ID: 8210523

Claim:
A paper sheet holding apparatus, comprising: a paper sheet storage unit adapted for storing therein a plurality of paper sheets in a stacked condition; a paper sheet feeding mechanism located below the paper sheet storage unit and adapted for feeding each paper sheet present at the lowest layer of the plurality of paper sheets stored in the paper sheet storage unit, one by one; a holding member, which is adapted for holding, from above, a batch of the paper sheets stored, in the stacked condition, in the paper sheet storage unit, and which is configured to be movable over a waiting position and a holding position, so that the holding member serves as a guide surface for guiding the batch of the paper sheets stored in the paper sheet storage unit, on the back side opposite to the front of the paper sheet storage unit, when the holding member is in the waiting position, while the holding member is in contact with a top face of the paper sheet present at the highest layer of the batch of the paper sheets stored in the paper sheet storage unit and serve to press the paper sheet downward, when the holding member is in the holding position; and a moving mechanism adapted for reciprocating the holding member between the waiting position and the holding position; wherein as the holding member is moved by the moving mechanism from the waiting position, where the holding member is retracted and stored in a side plate on the back side of the paper sheet storage unit to the holding position, the holding member is moved downward as a lower portion of the holding member is advanced forward and away from the back side of the paper sheet storage unit.