Patent ID: 8181852

Claim:
A banknote receiving arrangement comprising a banknote receiving cavity for receiving a stack of banknotes, said banknote receiving cavity being downwardly angled and merging with a curved transition segment connected to a banknote validating section, said curved transition segment receiving banknotes from said banknote receiving cavity and guiding banknotes at an angle upwardly towards an engagement point of a first drive arrangement and a restricting drive arrangement adjacent said banknote validating section; said first drive arrangement including a lead roller and a downstream roller with each roller engaging an exposed upper banknote of said stack of banknotes on an upper side of said banknote and driving the upper banknote through said transition segment into said banknote validating section, said restricting drive arrangement including a restricting roller in opposed relationship with said downstream roller of said first drive arrangement to limit the passage of banknotes therebetween to a single thickness of a banknote, said restricting drive arrangement including a motor providing a low torque rotating said restricting roller in a reverse direction urging a banknote to said receiving cavity when two banknotes attempt to pass between said downstream roller of said first drive arrangement and said restricting roller of said restricting drive arrangement; said downstream roller of said first drive arrangement being driven at a higher torque and providing sufficient force to the upper banknote to overpower the torque of said restricting roller of said banknote restricting drive arrangement and cause said restricting roller to rotate in a direction to pass said exposed upper banknote to said validating section when a single banknote is located between the downstream roller and the restricting roller; said banknote receiving arrangement further including a sensor arrangement for sensing insertion of a stack of banknotes into said banknote receiving cavity and causing movement of said lead roller from a position clear of the stack of banknotes to a position in engagement with the upper most banknote of the stack of banknotes and to cause said lead roller to drive the upper most banknote through said curved transition segment to said engagement point of said first drive arrangement and said restricting arrangement defined by said downstream roller and said restricting roller.