ATM currency presenter gate arrangement

Abstract

An ATM includes a currency note dispenser having a currency cassette, a note picker, a note transporter, and a note presenter. A cassette tambour door automatically opens during insertion of the cassette into the dispenser. The picker can pick notes through the opening. A spring loaded housing wall tab retains the picker shaft in mating connection with a drive pin. The transporter can move notes vertically and horizontally. The transporter includes belts between an idle shaft and a drive shaft. The idle shaft is vertically movable relative to a drive shaft to maintain belt tension. The transporter also includes convexly tapered rollers that automatically recenter a loose belt. A presenter gate is at a note dispensing outlet of the ATM. The gate is opened by actuating a lever linked with an arm connected to the gate. The gate opens by moving a pin upward in an angled slot.

1 . A method comprising: 
 (a) moving a media stack in a stack presenter of an automated banking machine toward an outlet of the presenter, wherein a gate of the presenter in a closed position prevents media stack passage through the outlet;    (b) actuating at least one lever of the presenter to provide cam movement to at least one cam arm to cause the gate to move upward toward an open position, wherein the gate in the open position permits passage of the media stack through the outlet; and    (c) moving the media stack through the outlet.    
   
   
       2 . The method to  claim 1  wherein the at least one lever is movable relative to the at least one cam arm, wherein step (b) includes moving the at least one lever relative to the at least one cam arm.  
   
   
       3 . The method to  claim 2  wherein the at least one cam arm is connected to the gate, wherein in step (b) movement of the at least one cam arm causes direct movement of the gate.  
   
   
       4 . The method to  claim 1  wherein each cam arm includes a first arm end and a second arm end, wherein the first arm end is connected to the gate, wherein the second arm end includes a pivot axis, wherein step (b) includes causing each respective cam arm to pivot about a respective pivot axis.  
   
   
       5 . The method to  claim 1  wherein the presenter includes at least one slot and at least one pin, wherein step (b) includes causing a first pin of the at least one pin to relatively move in a first slot of the at least one slot.  
   
   
       6 . The method to  claim 5  wherein the at least one lever includes the at least one slot, wherein the at least one cam arm includes the at least one pin, wherein each respective pin is configured to slide in a respective slot, wherein step (b) includes sliding each respective pin in a respective slot.  
   
   
       7 . The method to  claim 6  wherein each lever includes a respective slot, wherein each slot is angled upward, wherein each cam arm includes a respective pin, wherein step (b) includes sliding each respective pin relatively upward in a respective slot.  
   
   
       8 . The method to  claim 1  and further comprising 
 (d) sliding each respective pin relatively downward in a respective slot to cause the gate to move downward toward the closed position.    
   
   
       9 . The method to  claim 8  wherein step (d) includes actuating the at least one lever to cause each respective pin to move relatively downward in a respective slot.  
   
   
       10 . The method to  claim 1  wherein step (a) includes moving the media stack on at least one rail.  
   
   
       11 . The method to  claim 1  and further comprising 
 (d) prior to step (a), forming the media stack.    
   
   
       12 . The method to  claim 1  wherein the media stack includes currency notes, wherein step (c) includes moving currency notes through the outlet.  
   
   
       13 . The method to  claim 12  wherein the automated banking machine comprises an automated teller machine (ATM), wherein the ATM includes a currency note dispenser, wherein the media stack comprises a currency note stack, wherein steps (a), (b), (c) occur during the ATM carrying out a currency note dispensing transaction involving the currency note dispenser.  
   
   
       14 . A method comprising: 
 (a) operating an automated banking machine presenter to move a currency note stack toward an outlet of the presenter, wherein a gate of the presenter in a closed position prevents stack passage through the outlet;    (b) operating the presenter to cause at least one cam arm pin to respectively move in an upward direction along a respective lever slot to cause the gate to correspondingly move in an opening direction, wherein the gate in an open position permits passage of the currency note stack through the outlet; and    (c) operating the presenter to move the currency note stack through the outlet.    
   
   
       15 . The method to  claim 14  wherein each respective cam arm pin is part of a respective cam arm, wherein each respective lever slot is part of a respective lever, wherein each cam arm pin is configured to slide along a respective lever slot, wherein step (b) includes actuating each respective lever to cause each respective cam arm pin to slide along a respective lever slot.  
   
   
       16 . The method to  claim 15  wherein each lever slot is angled upwardly, wherein step (b) includes actuating each respective lever to cause each respective cam arm pin to slide upwardly along a respective lever slot.  
   
   
       17 . The method to  claim 15  wherein the presenter comprises two cam arms and two levers, wherein both cam arms are connected to the gate, wherein in step (b) movement of the two cam arms causes movement of the gate.  
   
   
       18 . The method to  claim 14  wherein step (b) includes moving the gate upwardly in the opening direction toward an open position, and wherein step (c) includes moving the currency note stack through the outlet while the gate is in the open position.  
   
   
       19 . The method to  claim 18  wherein step (b) includes sliding each respective cam arm pin upwardly along a respective lever slot, and further comprising 
 (d) sliding each respective cam arm pin downwardly along a respective lever slot to cause the gate to move downward toward the closed position.    
   
   
       20 . The method to  claim 14  wherein the presenter is in an automated teller machine (ATM), wherein the ATM includes a currency note dispenser, wherein steps (a), (b), (c) occur during the ATM carrying out a currency note dispensing transaction involving the currency note dispenser.