Abstract: An automatic teller machine has not only a main store comprising a number of cassettes (38, 40, 42, 44, 46 and 48) holding stacks of banknotes but also faster operating auxiliary stores (4 and 5) which hold limited numbers of the most popular denominations of banknote. A request for cash is met, if possible, from the auxiliary stores (4 and 5). This enables the machine to provide a service at a faster rate than the rate of dispensing from of the main store. The auxiliary stores are replenished from the main store, preferably at times during which the machine is not in the process of dispensing notes to a customer.

Abstract: In an ATM, bank notes remaining within currency cassettes 40 of the cash dispenser 18 are transferred to an auxiliary storage device 54 before the cassettes 40 are removed from the ATM and replaced by full cassettes during a replenishment sequence, so as to avoid handling of non-empty cassettes and to improve the efficiency of the replenishment procedure. The transfer of notes may take place during the actual replenishment sequence, the cassettes 40 containing the highest denomination bank notes and those containing the least number of notes having precedence. Alternatively, the transfer of notes may occur automatically during normal operation of the ATM, when the number of notes within a cassette 40 reaches a predetermined level.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for flagging the position of manually usable means (11,14) in a manually operable device (10). In order to guide a user to the location of manually usable means (11,14) which require to be manually actuated or to on or from which items require to manually entered or removed, the invention provides an air supply (17) and one or more nozzles connected to the air supply (17) to provide one or more jets of air. The nozzles (16) are stationed and directed such that a user of the device (10) can sense the position and direction of the air jet or jets so as to find the position of the manually usable means (11,14). The invention can be used to help those who may have a visual impairment to operate an automatic teller machine. The different areas of the machine can be found from air jets which come from the nozzles (16) stationed at the different areas of the machine, such areas including a card entry slot (11), a keyboard (14) and a cash dispensing slot (13).

Abstract: A self-service deposit terminal (10) for bank notes is arranged to validate the notes. If any notes are deemed invalid then either the invalid notes are diverted from going to a collection means (42) for valid notes, or else the whole deposit is diverted. The diverted notes are bound together, reference details are printed on the bound notes, and the bundle is deposited in a rejection bin (74). The bundle is later compared with the deposit details printed out on a journal printer (72) to identify the user. The total value of the deposit can then be added to the user's account.

Abstract: An automatic teller machine has an input hopper (20) into which checks and banknotes for deposit can be put. An imaging and sorting device (22) separates the banknotes and checks from each other. The banknotes are fed to a temporary banknote storage device (24) and the checks are fed to a temporary check storage device (26). A receipt for the number of items of each kind deposited is issued to the depositor. A further imaging device (28) may be provided for subsequent more detailed examination and further sorting of the deposited items. The subsequent examination preferably takes place when the machine is not being used by a customer.