Patent ID: 8276901

Claim:
A paper sheet handling apparatus, comprising: a casing having an opening through which a paper sheet passes; a storage unit arranged inside of the casing and storing the paper sheet; a transport unit which includes a main transport path connecting the opening and the storage unit and a return transport path diverting from the main transport path at a predetermined position thereof and joining the main transport path at a position upstream in the transport direction from the diversion position, and transports the paper sheet along the main transport path and the return transport path; a detection unit arranged at a detection position upstream in the transport direction from the joining position of the main transport path and detecting the arrival of the paper sheet transported along the main transport path at the detection position; and a controller controlling the transport unit based on the detection result of the detection unit such that a plurality of the paper sheets are stacked into a batch with certain parts of the paper sheets being aligned, wherein the controller performs a procedure comprising the steps of (I) leading, at the diversion position, the paper sheet transported along the main transport path into the return transport path, (II) transporting a subsequent paper sheet along the main transport path, and (III) controlling the transportation of the paper sheet on the return transport path so that the paper sheet on the return transport path is transported toward the main transport path and the transportation of the subsequent paper sheet on the main transport path respectively in response to the arrival of the subsequent paper sheet at the detection position such that the two paper sheets are stacked into a batch at the joining position with certain parts of the paper sheets being aligned.