Patent ID: 7397586

Claim:
A scanner apparatus for scanning paper documents, of the type comprising a first device for scanning bank checks, wherein the first device includes: a first input receptacle for receiving at least one check to be scanned, the check includind a front face and a rear face; at least one first image-scanner unit for scanning at least one of the faces of the check, a first output receptacle for receiving the check after it has been scanned by the first scanner unit, and a first conveyor mechanism for conveying checks, one at a time, from the first input receptacle to the first output receptacle, passing in front of the first scanner unit; and the apparatus further comprising a second device for scanning other paper documents, wherein the second device includes: a second input receptacle for receiving at least one paper document to be scanned, the paper document including a front face and a rear face, at least one second image-scanner unit for scanning at least one of the faces of the paper document, at least one second output receptacle for receiving the paper document after it has been scanned by the second scanner unit, and a second conveyor mechanism for conveying paper documents, one at a time, from the second input receptacle to the second output receptacle, passing in front of the second scanner unit; the scanner apparatus being characterized in that; the second image-scanner unit is mounted so as to be rotatable about an axis perpendiccular to a path of movement of the paper document in order to be able to adopt a first angular position in which the second image-scanner unit is situated on one side of the path of movement in order to scan one face of the paper document and a second angular position to which the second image-scanner unit is rotated from the first angular position and in which the second image-scanner unit is situated on an opposite side of the path of movement in order to scan the other face of the document, and the second conveyor mechanism comprises a pair of motor-driven rollers which are adapted to be rotated selectively and alternatively in two opposite directions of rotation in order to move the paper document in a first direction or in a second direction opposite the first direction.