DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

[0031] Embodiments of the paper storage apparatus according to the present invention will be described in detail.

[0032] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of the main part illustrating a paper storage apparatus 20 according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, the same components as those of FIG. 9 are shown by the same reference numerals.

[0033] The paper storage apparatus 20 has a pair of friction means 30 and 31 of the same structure that are disposed at opposing sides of the lifting table 7 so that they are positioned to be faced with the guide rails 3 and 4, respectively.

[0034] As shown in FIG. 2 illustrating the cross section taken at the line A-A of FIG. 1, the friction means 30 and 31 are disposed at opposing sides 7c of the lifting table 7, respectively.

[0035] To describe these friction means 30 and 31, the friction means 31 will be described below.

[0036] Referring to FIG. 3 that illustrates an expanded cross section taken at the line B-B of FIG. 2, the friction means 31 includes a tongue-shaped elastic member 33 made of an elastic rubber that is engaged with a projection 7b provided at the lower face 7a of the lifting table 7. As shown in FIG. 2, the tip end 33a of the elastic member 33 is of arc shape, and is disposed so as to slightly project toward the guide rail 4 (or 3) from the side 7c of the lifting table 7.

[0037] On the upper face 7d of the lifting table where the friction means 30 and 31 are disposed, a projection 7e is formed integrally with the upper face 7d. The projection 7e serves to prevent the paper money 10 from contacting with the elastic member 33 of the friction means 30 and 31, thereby preventing a paper jam when a sheet of paper (e.g., inserted paper money 10) is guided into the pair of guide grooves 3a and 4a.

[0038] In FIG. 3, the reference numeral 7f denotes a rib for supporting the lower face of the elastic member 33 and the reference numeral 7g denotes a notch.

[0039] Next, the operations of the paper storage apparatus 20 will be described, and at the same time the structure thereof will be described in detail. Since the friction means 30 and the friction means 31 perform the same operations, the operation of the friction means 31 will be described and description regarding the operations of the friction means 30 is omitted.

[0040] In FIG. 4, the same components as those of FIG. 3 are denoted with the same reference numerals. As shown in FIG. 4, as the lifting table 7 is upwardly moved as shown by the arrow, the paper money 10 guided into the guide grooves 3a and 4a of the pair of guide rails 3 and 4 are lifted.

[0041] During this operation, the end portion 10a (10b) of the paper money 10 is curved and the lower face thereof slides while being in contact with the tip end 33a of the tongue-shaped elastic member 33 constituting the friction means 31 (30). At the same time, the tip end 33a of the elastic member 33 is curved, thus increasing the contact area therebetween.

[0042] When the tip end 33a of the tongue-shaped elastic member 33 constituting the friction means 31 is curved, the area of the tip end 33a with which the end portion 10a of the paper money 10 contacts is increased, thereby to increase a frictional force between the tip end 33a of the elastic member 33 and the end portion 10a of the paper money 10. As a result, this frictional force generated by the contact between the tip end 33a of the elastic member 33 and the end portion 10a of the paper money 10 becomes extremely larger compared with a frictional force generated by the contact between the paper money 10 and the upper edge 4c of the opening portion of the guide groove 4a.

[0043] Thus, the paper money 10 mounted on the lifting table 7 is lifted in a stable manner without being pulled by the frictional force generated by the contact between the guide groove 4a and the upper edge 4c of the opening portion, and eventually, as shown in FIG. 5, the end portions 10a and 10b of the paper money 10 are moved above the upper faces 3b and 4b of the pair of guide rails 3 and 4.

[0044] Referring to FIG. 6, when the lifting table 7 is returned to the initial position via the elevator means (not shown), the paper money 10 can be stored in the stacker 2 while the opposing end portions thereof are fastened between the upper faces 3b and 4b of the pair of guide rails 3 and 4, and the stacker plate 6.

[0045] With the above operations, a subsequently-inserted paper money can be smoothly guided into the guide grooves 3a and 4a of the pair of guide rails 3 and 4 without generating a jam caused by a collision with the previously-inserted paper money 10.

[0046] Thereafter, the subsequently-inserted paper money is stored in the stacker 2 while the opposing end portions thereof are fastened between the upper faces 3b and 4b of the pair of guide rails 3 and 4, and the previously-inserted paper money 10 positioned on the lower face of the stacker plate 6 in the stacker 2 by the same operations of the lifting table 7 as described above. Thus, papers subsequently-inserted can be stored in the stacker 2 in a stable manner.

[0047] Although the above embodiment as shown in FIG. 2 is provided with the friction means 30 and 31 at the end portions of the lifting table 7, the present invention is not limited to the configuration of the above embodiment. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 7 in which the same components as those of FIG. 2 are denoted with the same reference numerals, the friction means 30 and 31 may be provided at a plurality of positions at opposing sides 7c of the lifting table 7, respectively.

[0048] Further, the present invention is not limited to the above configurations in which the friction means 30 and 31 are provided at one position or a plurality of positions at opposing sides 7c of the lifting table 7. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 8 in which the same components as those of FIG. 2 are denoted with the same reference numerals, friction means 31 (30) made of a long tongue-shaped elastic member 33 may be provided along opposing sides 7c of the lifting table 7.

[0049] As described above, the paper storage apparatus according to the present invention includes the friction means that are provided at opposing sides of the lifting table facing the pair of guide rails and that are projected toward the guide rails, respectively. With the friction means, when a paper is lifted by the lifting table so that the end portions of the paper escape from the grooves of the guide rails, the paper slides while being in contact with the friction means so that the paper is prevented from being moved on the lifting table. As a result, the end portions of the inserted paper money can escape from the guide grooves of the guide rails in a stable manner. This prevents a paper jam caused by a collision between a previously-inserted paper money and a subsequently-inserted paper money in the guide rails. In this way, the present invention provides a paper storage apparatus that can load and store each paper in a stable manner.