Patent ID: 7708273

Claim:
A paper sheet processing apparatus comprising: an insertion slot into which a paper sheet is inserted; a paper sheet conveyance mechanism for conveying the paper sheet inserted into the insertion slot; a paper sheet traveling route through which the paper sheet is conveyed by the paper sheet conveyance mechanism; a sensor for detecting the paper sheet existing in the paper sheet traveling route; a pair of contact members for holding the paper sheet inserted into the insertion slot, the pair of contact members being installed between the insertion slot and the sensor; a driving source for moving one of the pair of contact members toward the other; and a control device for controlling driving of the driving source, wherein at least either of the pair of contact members is driven to convey the paper sheet by the paper sheet conveyance mechanism, and wherein the control device controls the driving force to move the at least either of the pair of contact members such that the pair of contact members are kept apart from each other before the paper sheet is inserted into the insertion slot and that the pair of contact members become closer to each other so as to hold the paper sheet in response to the sensor detecting that the paper sheet is inserted into the insertion slot.