A conveyance route switching mechanism and a paper sheet handling apparatus that includes the conveyance route switching mechanism include a driving source, a gate, a first gear, and an internal gear. The driving source includes a driving shaft. The gate includes a gate shaft, and a blade that is provided on the gate shaft, and switches conveyance routes of paper sheets. The first gear is provided on the gate shaft. The internal gear meshes with the first gear. According to rotation of the driving shaft, the gate shaft rotates on an axis of the gate shaft, and revolves with the driving shaft as a rotation center while the first gear meshes with the internal gear.

A medium conveyance path switching device include: a support unit located at a branch point of a conveyance path at which a conveying direction for a medium converges from three directions; a gate assembly including gates to guide the medium to different conveyance paths at the branch point; and a rotation mechanism configured to selectively rotate the gates. The support unit includes: a first support piece having a first through-hole portion; a second support piece having a second through-hole portion and disposed on one side of the first support piece; a third support piece having a third through-hole portion and disposed on the other side of the first support piece; a first bending connection part pivotably connecting one end of the first support piece and the second support piece; and a second bending connection part pivotably connecting the other end of the first support piece and the third support piece.

A medium conveyance route switching device includes: a support unit located at a branching point where conveyance directions of a medium converge in three directions; a gate assembly including a plurality of gates to guide at the branching point the medium to different conveyance paths; and a rotation mechanism configured to selectively rotate the plurality of gates. The support unit includes: a first support piece having a first through-hole portion; a second support piece having a second through-hole portion; a third support piece having a third through-hole portion; a first bending connection portion rotatably connecting one end of the first support piece and the second support piece; a second bending connection portion rotatably connecting the other end of the first support piece and the third support piece; and a fixing shaft inserted into the first through-hole portion, the second through-hole portion, and the third through-hole portion.

A sheet processing apparatus includes first and second sheet processing modules, a connecting module, and a storage module. In each of the first and second sheet processing modules, a sheet received from an entrance port is identified by an identifying unit, and if the sheet is qualified, the sheet is transported to a first communication port through a first transport path. In the connecting module, a first diverter mechanism is configured to permit sheet transport between a second communication port and a selected one of the first and second sheet processing modules. The storage module is disposed for receiving and storing the sheet from the connecting module.

A medium conveyance route switching device includes a support unit, a gate assembly, and a rotation mechanism. The support unit is located at a branching point of a first conveyance path, a second conveyance path and a third conveyance path where conveyance directions of a medium converge in three directions. The gate assembly includes a first to a third gate positioned on one ends of the first to the third conveyance path to guide at the branching point the medium to other conveyance paths than a conveyance path from which the medium is conveyed. The rotation mechanism includes a first actuator rotating the first gate to switch the medium conveyed from the first conveyance path to the second conveyance path or the third conveyance path, and a second actuator, when the first gate is rotated, rotating the second gate and the third gate in associated with the second gate.

A conveying direction switching apparatus includes a first switching gate that, at a joint portion of a first conveying path, a second conveying path, and a third conveying path, switches between a first conveyance route connecting the first conveying path and the second conveying path and a second conveyance route connecting the first conveying path and the third conveying path, a second switching gate that switches between the first conveyance route and a third conveyance route connecting the second conveying path and the third conveying path, and a free gate that is arranged on a same shaft as the first switching gate such that a second conveyance route side is opened by an elastic body at a joint portion of the second conveyance route and the third conveyance route.

A note directing device (1) comprises a first note feeder (11), a brushed roller (2), and a second note feeder (12); wherein: the first note feeder (11) feeds the bank note (10) along a direction (A) tangential to a bank note (10) surface and presents the leading edge (14) of the bank note (10) to the brushed roller (2); the brushed roller (2) engages with the bank note (10) and rotates in a direction (B) such that the leading edge (14) is directed towards the second note feeder (12); the second note feeder (12) accepts the leading edge (14) and feeds the bank note (10) along a direction (C) tangential to a bank note (10) surface; wherein the brushed roller (2) comprises an axis (4) and bristles (6), each bristle (6) being attached at one end to the axis (4) and extending radially from said axis (4), the distribution of bristles (6) extending along a longitudinal direction (E) of the axis (4).

A medium conveyance route switching device includes a support unit, a gate assembly, and a rotation mechanism. The support unit is located at a branching point of a first conveyance path, a second conveyance path and a third conveyance path where conveyance directions of a medium converge in three directions. The gate assembly includes a first to a third gate positioned on one ends of the first to the third conveyance path to guide at the branching point the medium to other conveyance paths than a conveyance path from which the medium is conveyed. The rotation mechanism includes a first actuator rotating the first gate to switch the medium conveyed from the first conveyance path to the second conveyance path or the third conveyance path, and a second actuator, when the first gate is rotated, rotating the second gate and the third gate in associated with the second gate.

A sheet processing apparatus includes first and second sheet processing modules, a connecting module, and a storage module. In each of the first and second sheet processing modules, a sheet received from an entrance port is identified by an identifying unit, and if the sheet is qualified, the sheet is transported to a first communication port through a first transport path. In the connecting module, a first diverter mechanism is configured to permit sheet transport between a second communication port and a selected one of the first and second sheet processing modules. The storage module is disposed for receiving and storing the sheet from the connecting module.

A medium conveyance path switching device include: a support unit located at a branch point of a conveyance path at which a conveying direction for a medium converges from three directions; a gate assembly including gates to guide the medium to different conveyance paths at the branch point; and a rotation mechanism configured to selectively rotate the gates. The support unit includes: a first support piece having a first through-hole portion; a second support piece having a second through-hole portion and disposed on one side of the first support piece; a third support piece having a third through-hole portion and disposed on the other side of the first support piece; a first bending connection part pivotably connecting one end of the first support piece and the second support piece; and a second bending connection part pivotably connecting the other end of the first support piece and the third support piece.