Patents by Inventor Alistair Ballantyne

Alistair Ballantyne has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Sheet separating apparatus for removing sheets one-by-one from at least one stack of sheets
    Patent number: 5657981
    Abstract: In a sheet separating apparatus, for example an automated teller machine (ATM) in which banknotes are removed one by one from a stack (12) of banknotes, includes a vacuum pump (32), and suction unit (10A,B,C,D) connectable alternately between a vacuum enable port (30) of the vacuum pump (32) when a note is picked from the stack (12), and a vacuum release port (42) of the pump (32), when the note is released from the suction unit. Pre-filtered air from the vacuum pump (32) is therefore partially recycled, and dust is substantially excluded from the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 19, 1997
    Assignee: NCR Corporation
    Inventors: Kenneth Kelly, Adam J. Crighton, George Petrie, Robert J. Suttie, Robert Petrie, Alistair Ballantyne, Thomas Gow