Patent ID: 7337889

Claim:
An automated teller machine for handling paper money, comprising, a paper money path for transferring the paper money along a predetermined direction, a detector for measuring a condition of the paper money, comprising a light beam emitter for emitting a light beam toward the paper money, and a light beam receiver for receiving at least one of a reflected light beam of the emitted light beam reflected by the paper money and a passed light beam of the emitted light beam passing through the paper money; a paper money deforming device for applying to the paper money at least one of a tension in at least one of a first direction parallel to the predetermined direction and perpendicular to a paper money thickness direction and a second direction perpendicular to the predetermined direction and the paper money thickness direction, a compression force in at least one of the first and second directions, and a pair of forces away from each other in at least one of the first and second directions while directions of the forces are opposite to each other, so that at least one of a width of a clearance in the paper money extending from an edge of the paper money and a width of a clearance in the paper money prevented from extending from the edge of the paper money is expanded by the paper money deforming device; wherein the paper money deforming device includes at least one roller rotatable on an axis parallel to the second direction and a rotatable supplemental roller, the roller includes a tapered surface adapted to contact the money paper in the second direction and to be pressed against a peripheral surface of the supplemental roller, and the tapered surface includes elastomer.