Sheet store assemblies, usually known as cassettes, have been widely used for many years to store security documents such as banknotes in such a way that the sheets can be dispensed automatically from the cassette on demand.

A typical application is a banknote dispenser in which the sheet store assembly is located in dispensing apparatus.

The dispensing apparatus includes a sheet transport system for transporting sheets from the sheet store assembly to an output position in response to user input commands.

A typical cassette is in the form of a box having an open top defining a dispense outlet and including a pressure plate which is urged towards a stack of sheets in the box to maintain them in a stacked condition.

Typically, cassettes are designed to hold one denomination of banknote although in some cases, for example when used in recirculation apparatus, the cassette may store different denominations, the order of banknotes being memorised. In all these cases, however, a single sheet store is defined by the cassette.

Recently, we have proposed a new sheet dispensing apparatus in which a common feed member is provided which can be moved between a pair of feed positions in which it engages a sheet in a respective one of a pair of stores.

In one example of this apparatus, the sheet stores are provided by a common sheet store assembly. This is advantageous since both stores can then be brought to the dispense position relative to the common feed member in a relatively straightforward manner. This new apparatus is described in our co-pending International Patent Application No. PCT/GB 97/02405 incorporated herein by reference.

One drawback of the cassette described in our co- pending international patent application is that the size

of each sheet store is fixed. In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, therefore, we provide a sheet store assembly comprising a housing having a base and sides and defining a dispense outlet opposite the base; and at least one divider for dividing the assembly into a pair of sheet stores in each of which sheets to be dispensed through the dispense outlet can be stacked with their edges resting on the base, characterised in that the at least one divider is movable along the base to adjust the sheet holding capacity of the stores.

With this aspect of the invention, the sheet store assembly can define sheet stores having a capacity which is variable. Thus, for example, if the assembly is to store banknotes of both high and lower denominations, then the or each divider can be positioned so as to define a relatively small capacity store for the high denomination banknotes and a relatively large capacity store for the lower denomination notes.

Although each store could be defined by a respective divider, conveniently a single divider is provided to define adjacent ends of a pair of stores. A drawback of this second approach is that although the relative capacities of the two stores can be changed, the overall capacity (in terms of the number of sheets) remains the same.

The at least one divider can be secured relative to the base in a number of different ways. For example, the sides of the housing could be provided with sets of apertures through which bolts or other fixtures can be inserted to hold the divider in position. Indeed, the divider need not be fixed to the base. In another approach, the divider could be fixed to the base and not to the sides. Conveniently, however, the at least one divider is mounted on a rail supported by the housing and along which the divider can slide. This provides a very simple way of adjusting the divider.

In the sheet dispensing apparatus described in our earlier international patent application, the sheet store assembly must be able to accommodate sheets of different dimensions, particularly in the feed direction. Once located in position, the sheet store assembly should arrange for the top edges of each stack of sheets to lie on a substantially common plane so that they can be fed by the sheet transport system. This means that the position of the base of each sheet store must be adjustable relative to the dispense outlet. In our earlier international patent application, the base of each store is defined by the bight of a respective U-shaped bracket which is slidably mounted via its arms to opposite sides of the housing. This approach is quite acceptable where the sheet stores have a fixed capacity but cannot be used easily where a variable capacity sheet store approach is adopted. Furthermore, the separate adjustment of each base is relatively complex.

In accordance with a second aspect of the present invention, a sheet store assembly comprises a housing having a base and sides and defining a dispense outlet opposite the base, the housing providing at least one sheet store in which sheets are stacked with their edges resting on the base, characterised in that the base is defined by at least one flexible member adjustably coupled to supports to adjust the distance between the flexible member and the dispense outlet, the store further comprising tensioning means for tensioning the flexible member at the desired position.

In this aspect of the invention, at least one flexible member is used to define the base, tensioning means being provided to tension the flexible member at the desired position. This results in a much simpler construction and is particularly suited for use with a sheet store according to the first aspect of the invention in which a pair of sheet stores is provided, divided by at least one divider.

Typically, the base will be defined by two of the flexible members, laterally spaced apart.

The tensioning means could be provided at one or both ends of the at least one flexible member and may comprise a simple tightening screw. Conveniently, however, the tensioning means comprises a member which is adjustable in a direction substantially parallel to the direction of adjustment of the at least one flexible member and over which the flexible member passes.

Where the sheet store assembly comprises at least one divider, in the preferred arrangement, the at least one flexible member is common to at least two stores, the flexible member extending through or over the divider. In this case, the tensioning means may be mounted to the at least one divider.

The assembly conveniently includes a movable divider.

The use of a flexible member then allows the divider to be fixed in place without the need for additional fixings.

In the preferred arrangement, the assembly is constructed in accordance with the first and second aspects of the invention.

Sheet store assemblies according to the invention can be used in a wide variety of apparatus including sheet dispensing and sheet accepting apparatus, particularly for documents of value such as banknotes.

An example of a sheet store assembly according to the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:- Figure 1 is a perspective view of the assembly from above with some parts omitted and others shown in phantom; Figure 2 is part of a section on the line X-X in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a perspective view from above of one of the divider plates shown in Figure 1; Figures 4A and 4B are a side view and a cross-section respectively of a tensator spring assembly; Figure 5 is a partial cross-section through one end of the assembly shown in Figure 1;

Figure 6 is a cross-section of a view on the line Y-Y in Figure 1 with some parts omitted for clarity; Figure 7 is a schematic view of sheet dispensing apparatus incorporating a sheet store assembly of the type shown in Figures 1-6; and, Figure 8 shows cross-sectional views through the assembly shown by Figure 3, Figure 8A being an end view of the cassette assembly shown in Figure 1, with Figure 8B showing cross section AA of Figure 8A and Figure 8C showing cross section BB of Figure 8A.

Referring to Figure 1, the sheet store assembly includes a tray 100, a rectangular box 101 having a base 101A, side walls 101B and an open top defining dispense outlets. The box 101 has end walls 101C, partitioned into six compartments which will form respective stores 102-107 by three separator plates 110-112 each having a U-shaped upper section 110A-112A. The stacks (not shown) of sheets from which individual sheets are fed by the feeding means are contained in each of the stores between separator plates 110-112 and six pressure plates, one for each compartment. For clarity, only the plates 121 and 122 are shown in Figure 1. The sheets are stacked on their long edges with their faces being squeezed between the respective separator plate/pressure plate pairs.

Stores 102 and 107 are, by virtue of their being the end store positions within the tray, of fixed maximum storage capacity and as such are fitted with plates, e. g. plate 102A for store 102 as shown in Figure 5, generally U- shaped, with slotted arms, secured in place by a knob 105, on an externally threaded screw which locates within a screwed insert in each of the tray walls 101B. The U- shaped plates (which are not shown in Figure 1) are vertically adjustable to accommodate sheet stacks of different dimensions in the vertical direction in the manner described in WO 98/09899.

To enable the bases to stores 103,104 and 105,106 to be adjusted in the vertical direction and to provide the

facility to adjust the maximum store capacity within each of the store combinations 103,104 and 105,106, a pair of divider plate assemblies are provided between respective pairs of the separator plates 110,111 and 111,112. For clarity, only divider plate assembly 201 between stores 103 and 104 is shown in Figures 1 ; 2 and 3, the other divider plate assembly being a replica of assembly 201 positioned between stores 105 and 106. The divider plate assemblies are mounted on brackets 210 (Figure 3), which locate on a rail 301 attached to the base 101A of the tray 101 in a manner that allows them to be positionally adjusted between separating plates 110 and 111 and 111 and 112 respectively.

Thus, for example, if it is required to increase the capacity of store 103, divider plate assembly 201 would be slid along the rail 301 closer to separator plate 111, and the capacity of store 104 would be reduced proportionally.

Figures 3,8A and 8B show the divider plate assembly 201 in greater detail, the other divider plate assembly being identical. The assembly 201 has a body 203 comprising shaped components 204,205, each component having a lower portion forming the bracket 210. The components 204,205 have grooved outer surfaces 206,207, relieved back surfaces 208,209, and centrally positioned vertical slots 211, 212. The back or inner surfaces 208,209 of 204,205 are recessed 223,224 locally to the slots 211,212 as can be seen in Figure 8B to a depth which causes the heads 217A, 217B of the screws 217 which protrude through the slots 211,212 to be underflush to the surfaces 208,209.

Components 204 and 205 are assembled to each other with screws 213 and a top bracket assembly 230. A pair of cross bars 214,215 are each secured to the faces of body 203 by knobs 216A, 216B threaded on to respective screws, screw 217 being shown in Figure 3. The cross bars 214,215 are held substantially parallel to the top bracket assembly 230 by edges 219 being held within one of the grooves of the outer surfaces 206,207. Thus, the cross bar position is vertically adjustable by unscrewing the appropriate knob

216A, 216B, moving the bar to the desired vertical location and re-clamping by tightening the knob.

Retained within a vertical slot 218 formed by the surfaces 208,209 in the shaped components 204,205 is a tension bar 220 having a radiused top edge 222, the bar 220 being positionable in the vertical direction by a jacking screw 221. Rotation of the jacking screw 221 adjusts the vertical position of the tension bar 220.

The top bracket assembly 230 comprises a channel 231 having a base 231A and sides 231B which are vertically slotted 232 from the top edge at a number of positions (approximately 6mm apart) along the length of the channel and are removed along a section substantially on the centre of the channel length locally to the head of the jacking screw 221.

Fixed to the inside surfaces of the base 231A of the channel, using bolts 255 through holes 238 (Figures 1 and 4) in the base and secured by nuts 256, are four"tensator" spring assemblies 234A, 234B and 235A, 235B. Holes 238 are pitched along the length of the channel base 231A such that the positions of the"tensator"spring assemblies can be moved to enable the spring to be extended through an adjacent vertical slot 232 within the channel sides 231B.

In positioning the springs, it is preferable for the pairs of assemblies 234A, 234B: 235A, 235B to be placed equi-distant from the centre of the divider plate assembly 201 in order to substantially centralise the stack of sheets held respectively in the adjacent stores. As shown in Figures 4A and 4B,"tensator"spring assemblies 234A and 235A each consist of a naturally coiled tensator spring 251 contained within a can 252. Attached to the outer end of the spring pulled out of the can 252 through a slot 253 is a block 254 which is of sufficient size to prevent the spring end being pulled back through the slot 253 into the can. Spring assemblies 234B and 235B are of the same components as assemblies 234A and 235A except that the spring 251 is up

the other way with the free end of the spring protruding to the right as seen dotted in Figure 4B.

Positioned adjacent to each of the separator plates 110,111,112 within the tray assembly 100 are adjustable floor bracket assembly pairs 301-304. Each assembly 301- 304 is positioned on a respective pad 305 attached to the inner face of the tray walls 101B such that the vertical edge 307 of the pad adjacent the local separator plate stops the floor bracket assembly pulling away from the separator plate. The pads 305 have threaded holes 308 local to vertical slots 309 in the floor bracket assemblies into which clamp screws 310 are screwed in order to clamp the bracket assemblies 301-304 to the tray side walls. The vertical positioning of the floor bracket assemblies is adjusted manually by releasing the clamp screws 310, adjusting the bracket position and then re-tightening the screws.

The floor bracket assemblies 301-304 are of a common construction and the assemblies 301,302 will be described in more detail. Each floor bracket assembly 301,302, Figure 6, consists of a profiled U-shaped component 315 having side arms, one of which 315A is shown for assembly 301 and the other of which 315B is shown for assembly 302.

Each component 315 also has a back 315C. The side arm 315A is longer than the arm 315B. Both arms 315A, 315B have vertical slots 309 and attached to their outer faces guide pads 316A, 316B. Attached by screws 317 (Figure 2) to the inner face of the back 315C of the assemblies 301 and 3. 02 is floor assembly 350 which consists of shaped brackets 350A and 350B which are attached to the opposite ends of flexible floor strips 351A and 351B. For clarity, these strips are only shown in Figure 1 for the stores 103,104.

Preferably, these strips 351A, 351B are constructed from "Mylar"but it is anticipated that other alternative materials of similar or alternative cross-sectional shapes could be used. As can be seen in Figure 2, the floor strips 351A, 351B from the floor bracket assembly 301

adjacent separator plate 110 extend under cross bar 215, over the radiused top edge 222 of tensioning bar 220, under the cross bar 214 to the floor bracket assembly 302 adjacent separator plate 111. To complete the floor bracket assembly, shield plates 318 are attached on spacers 319 to the inner face of the backs 315C using screws through holes 320.

The separator plates 110,111 and 112 are constructed and mounted into the tray 101 in the manner described in the International Patent Application No. PCT/GB 97/02405 except that side walls 110F-112F of the U-shaped upper sections 110B-112A are vertically slotted from their top edges in a manner that substantially matches the slotting pattern in sides 231B of the top bracket assembly 230.

In operation, it is necessary that the upper edges of the stacks of sheets, irrespective of the height of the sheets of common size contained in each store, are substantially at the same level along the length of the tray and that the stacks are held substantially centrally disposed relative to the sheet feeding arrangement being used.

Conveniently, for this example, the stacks and feeding arrangement will be disposed substantially equally about the longitudinal centre line of the tray. For this example of the operation, the tray will be set up so that store 103 will hold twice the number of sheets as store 104, while the sheets in the store 104 are wider and shorter than the sheets in the store 103.

Rotating the knob 221 on the divider plate assembly to lower the tension bar 220 reduces the tension on the floor strips 351A, 351B and allows the position of the divider plate assembly to be adjusted towards and away from the adjacent separator plates 110,111. Thus, for the purposes of this example, the divider plate 201 is adjusted closer towards the separator plate 111 to a position which is 1/3 the distance between separator plates 110 and 111.

With the knowledge of the size of the sheets to be held in the respective stores 103 and 104, the vertical position of the floor bracket adjacent plate 110 is adjusted to suit the height of the sheets to be held in store 103 by loosening the clamp screws 310, moving the bracket and tightening the clamp screws 310. In addition, the cross bar 215 on the divider plate assembly is moved after loosening the knob 216B. Likewise, the vertical position of the floor bracket adjacent the separator plate 111 is adjusted to suit the height of the sheets to be held in store 104 as is the cross bar 214 on the divider plate assembly. Knob 221 is then rotated to lift the tension bar 220, tension the floor strips 351A, 351B and retain the divider plate assembly in its set position.

In order to substantially contain the stack of sheets in store 103 central to the tray, the positions of spring assemblies 234A and 234B are moved to a position on the top bracket assembly 230 that suits the width of the sheets in store 103. The free ends of the springs 251 are then pulled to extend the springs through the adjacent slots 232 in the channel side wall 231B, along the length of the store 103, and into the vertical slots in the separator plate U-shaped member side wall 110F which correspond to the slots 232 positioned in the divider plate top bracket so that the blocks 254 are positioned in the channel 110A.

The springs are held by their own tension in this position by the blocks 254. Likewise, to substantially contain the stack of sheets in store 104 central to the tray, the positions of spring assemblies 235A and 235B are moved to a position on the top bracket assembly 230 that suits the width of the sheets in store 104. The free end of the springs 251 are then pulled to extend the springs through the slots 232 in the channel side wall 231B, along the length of the store 104, and into the vertical slots in the separator plate U-shaped member side wall 111F which corresponds to the slots 232 position in the divider plate

top bracket so that the blocks 254 are positioned in the channel 111A.

Figure 7 illustrates the tray 100 inserted in a sheet dispenser of the type described in more detail PCT/GB 97/02405. The dispenser has a modular construction including a lifting module 120-0 within which the tray 100 is removably located, a sheet withdrawal module 1300 positioned above the lifting module 1200 for withdrawing sheets from the sheet stores 102-107, and a sheet transport module 400 positioned above the module 1300 and including a reject tray 410 for transporting sheets from the withdrawal module 1300 to a dispense outlet 420 or to the reject tray 410. The modules are all located in a secure housing 600 to which access is gained via a door 401. The dispenser is controlled by a microprocessor 500 in response to commands entered through a keypad 501 by a user.

Initially, when a tray 100 is to be loaded into the dispenser, a pair of lifting arms 1209 and 1214 are in their lowered position (not shown) so that the tray can be inserted into an upper section 1250 of the module 1200. A motor (not shown) in a lower section 1251 of the module 1200 is linked to the arms 1209,1214 and following insertion of the tray 100, the microprocessor 500 activates the motor to raise the arms so bringing the tray to its dispense and operative position shown in Figure 7. In order to insert the tray 100, an opening 403 is provided in the front panel 401, the opening 403 being closed by an access panel 404.

The withdrawal module 1300 includes three substantially identical sets of feed components 1301-1303, each having a respective common feed roller 1304 which is inserted between pairs of the sheet stacks 102,103 etc. as seen in Figure 7. Each feed roller 1304 can be moved into contact with a selected one of the stores, following which it is activated in either an anti-clockwise or clockwise direction so as to feed sheets from the one or other of the stores out of the top of the tray 100 defining a dispense

outlet to the transport module 400. These sheets are passed through a double detect arrangement 430 which determines whether or not more than one sheet has been fed at the same time. If a sheet has been fed correctly then it will be fed along a path 433 to the dispense outlet 420.

If, however, the sheet has been fed incorrectly, it will be diverted at 431 along a path 432 to a. reject tray 410.

Access to the reject tray 410 is achieved via a panel 406 which can be locked into the front panel 401 and which is mounted to the inner members of a pair of slides 407, the outer members of which are attached to opposite sides of the housing 600. The reject tray 410 is also mounted on the slides 407 so that when the panel 406 is unlocked from the panel 401, the panel 406 together with the reject tray 410 can be pulled away from the front panel 401. A monitoring device 405 mounted to the front panel 401 detects when the panel 406 is opened and this allows the dispensing apparatus to be activated.