Note feeder for a bank note processing machine

摘要

An apparatus and method for feeding documents within a document processing machine. The feeder apparatus includes a first feeder paddle and a second feeder paddle, each capable of linear translatory motion within the document feed path, the first paddle being outwardly displaceable with respect to the document feed path, each paddle having a document support surface and a plurality of cutout features along the document surface that allow either paddle to singularly support the document stack, and that allow both the first and second paddle document surfaces to simultaneously occupy a common level plane within the document feed path. The method uses a first feeder paddle to feed a first stack of documents and a second feeder paddle to add a second stack of documents to the first stack without interrupting the feeding of the first stack, and using the first feeder paddle to feed the combined stack of documents.

主权项

1. A feeder apparatus, the apparatus comprising:
a first feeder paddle and a second feeder paddle capable of linear translatory motion within a document feed path of a document processing machine, the first feeder paddle being further outwardly displaceable with respect to the document feed path, each paddle having a document surface for supporting a stack of documents as the documents are translated within the document feed path; a plurality of cutout features within the first feeder paddle's document surface and the second feeder paddle's document surface that allow either the first feeder paddle document surface or the second feeder paddle document surface to singularly support the stack of documents, and that allow both the first and second feeder paddle document surfaces to simultaneously occupy a common level plane within the document feed path; a first sensing device located on the first feeder paddle and a second sensing device located on the second feeder paddle for detecting pressure applied by the first feeder paddle and the second feeder paddle on the stack of documents; and a control system for maintaining consistent pressure on the stack of documents based on the pressure detected by the first and second sensing devices.