초록 ▼

A cash handling machine, such as a vending machine, includes various components, such as cash store, that are located within the housing. The machine is operable in a normal mode, in which a credit value is accumulated in response to cash received, and a float mode in which cash received is directed

A cash handling machine, such as a vending machine, includes various components, such as cash store, that are located within the housing. The machine is operable in a normal mode, in which a credit value is accumulated in response to cash received, and a float mode in which cash received is directed to the cash store without giving credit to the user. The machine can be switched between the normal mode and the float mode in response to an operation by a person, wherein the operation can be performed by the person without the person having access to internal components of the machine.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A cash handling machine comprising:a housing containing internal components of the machine, cash receiving means to receive cash deposited by a user, a first cash store which is located inside the housing and from which cash can be dispensed to the user, a further cash store which is located insi

1. A cash handling machine comprising:a housing containing internal components of the machine, cash receiving means to receive cash deposited by a user, a first cash store which is located inside the housing and from which cash can be dispensed to the user, a further cash store which is located inside the housing, unlockable access means which can be unlocked to provide to provide access to the further cash store but not to the first cash store, and means located within the housing for accumulating a credit value based on cash received by the cash receiving means, wherein the machine is operable in a normal mode, in which a credit value is accumulated in response to cash received by the cash receiving means, and a float mode in which cash received by the receiving means is directed to the cash store without giving credit to the user, the machine further including means for switching between the normal mode and the float mode in response to an operation by a person, wherein the operation can be performed without the person having to access the internal components of the machine, the machine being operable in response to a received instruction to discharge cash items from the first cash store to the further cash store, wherein the machine includes means for issuing said instruction in response to unlocking of said access means. 2. A machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the machine has a cash recognition means operable to determine the authenticity of cash received by the receiving means, and further operable to cause the machine to switch to the float mode in response to the testing of an article of a predetermined type received by the cash receiving means.3. A machine as claimed in claim 2, wherein the cash recognition means is operable to determine the denomination of cash items received by the receiving means during the float mode, and to direct the received items to one of a plurality of storage regions of the first cash store, each region being associated with a respective denomination, in dependence upon the results of the determination.4. A machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein the means for switching between the normal mode and the float mode comprises a keypad which is also operable by a user to select a product to be vended by the machine.5. A machine as claimed in claim 4, including cash recognition means for determining the authenticity and denomination of cash items received by the receiving means, and operable to direct cash items received by the receiving means during the float mode to one of a plurality of storage regions of the first cash store, each region being associated with a respective denomination, in dependence upon the results of the determination.6. A machine as claimed in claim 1, the machine storing float levels for respective cash denominations, each float level representing the amount of cash items of the respective denominations to be stored following a float operation, and being further operable during the float mode to provide a display visible externally of the machine indicating the denominations of cash items for which the current stored level is less than the respective float level.7. A machine as claimed in claim 1, having means for receiving an instruction issued remotely from the machine for performing said discharging operation.8. A cash handling machine as claimed in 1, wherein said first store has a plurality of regions each for storing a respective denomination, and wherein said further store has a region within which multiple denominations are stored.9. A cash handling machine comprising:a first cash store operable to dispense cash to a user and replenishable by cash received from a user, a further store, and a housing that prevents access to the further store, the housing including an unlockable access means which, upon unlocking, permits access to the further store but not to the first store, and provides removal of the further store from the machine, the machine being responsive to an instruction for discharging cash from the first store to the further store until one or more predetermined conditions are met, the machine including means for issuing said instruction in response to unlocking of said access means. 10. A cash handling machine as claim 9, wherein said first store has a plurality of regions each for storing a respective denomination, and wherein said further store has a region within which multiple denominations are stored.11. A cash handling machine comprising:a housing containing internal components of the machine, cash receiving means to receive cash deposited by a user, a cash store which is located inside the housing and from which cash can be dispensed to the user, a further cash store, wherein the machine is operable in response to a received instruction to discharge cash items from the first-mentioned cash store to the further cash store, wherein the housing prevents access to the further store, and has an unlockable access means which, upon unlocking, permits access to and removal of the further store from the machine, but which does not permit access to the first store; means for issuing said instruction in response to unlocking of said access means; and means located within the housing for accumulating a credit value based on cash received by the cash receiving means, wherein the machine is operable in a normal mode, in which a credit value is accumulated in response to cash received by the cash receiving means, and a float mode in which cash received by the receiving means is directed to the cash store without giving credit to the user, the machine further including means for switching between the normal mode and the float mode in response to an operation by a person, wherein the operation can be performed without the person having to access the internal components of the machine.