Remote teller

Claim 2

A semi-automated transit system for moving material between first and second stations, comprising: a. a receptacle for carrying material, b. a monorail extending between said first and second stations, c. a car adapted for travel on said monorail, said car including means supporting said car on said monorail, a source of electric power, a car direction sensor means providing a signal representing the station at which said car is positioned, a propulsion means powered by said source of electrIc power and engaged with said monorail for propelling said car in a direction along said monorail determined by said signal from said car direction sensor means, and means for carrying said receptacle, d. in each of said first and said second stations, an elevator carrier including means receiving said receptacle from and returning said receptacle to said car, drive means operative to move said elevator carrier between a first position adjacent said car and a second, access position, a car position sensor means providing a signal representing whether said car is located at said station, an elevator carrier position sensor means providing a signal representing the position of said elevator carrier, a receptacle location control means providing a signal representing a desired location of said receptacle, and interlock means operative to restrain said elevator carrier from movement from said first position except when said car is at said station, and also operative to restrain said car from travel except when said elevator carrier is at said first position, and e. a control logic means responsive to said signals from said car position sensor means, said elevator carrier position sensor means, and said receptacle location control means at said first and said second stations to control said drive means at each of said stations so that said receptacle is moved to a location determined by the signals from one of said receptacle location control means.

Claim 3

A system as recited in claim 1, further comprising, in each of said first and said second stations, a housing means supporting said elevator carrier, said drive means, said car position sensor means, said elevator carrier position sensor means, said receptacle location control means, and said interlock means within or on said housing, said housing further including an access door adjacent said access position of said elevator carrier, and means opening and closing said access door in response to the movement of said elevator carrier to and from said access position.

Claim 4

A system as recited in claim 1, wherein said receptacle location control means at each of said stations comprises a pushbutton switch, and wherein said control logic means is operative to move said receptacle from one of said stations to the other of said stations in response to the actuation of said pushbutton switch in said one of said stations.

Claim 5

A system as recited in claim 1, wherein said car comprises a generally U-shaped member having a top and a pair of sides, and said supporting means includes at least one truck rotatably journaled in the top of said U-shaped member, said truck including a plurality of rollers engaging a top and side surfaces of said monorail, and a pair of spring arms suspended from said sides of said U-shaped member and each having rotatably journaled thereon a roller engaging a respective side surface of said monorail.

Claim 6

A system as recited in claim 4, wherein said propulsion means in said car includes a reversible DC motor having an output shaft, a member dependent from one of said sides of said U-shaped member and having rotatably journaled thereon a drive roller whose periphery engages a side surface of said monorail, and a spring arm dependent from the top of said U-shaped member and supporting said reversible DC motor so that said shaft extends in a direction generally parallel to the sides of said U-shaped member and further maintaining said shaft against the periphery of said drive roller.

Claim 7

A system as recited in claim 1, wherein said interlock means at each of said stations includes an elevator carrier latching means including a catch on said elevator carrier, a rod, a supporting means, means attached to said supporting means for maintaining said rod translatable and including spring means normally maintaining said rod in engagement with said catch, and an actuator having a first end engageable with said car and a second end engaged with said rod, and means pivotally supporting said actuator On said supporting means so that said rod is translated out of engagement with said catch upon engagement with said car.

Claim 8

The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said interlock means at each of said stations includes a car latching means comprising a supporting means, a cam means pivotally supported by said supporting means and including a first cam surface, a locking surface adjacent said first cam surface, and a second cam surface adjacent said locking surface, said locking surface extending in a direction substantially normal to the directions of said first and said second cam surfaces, a spring means normally maintaining said cam means in a position whereby said first and said second cam surfaces are substantially parallel to the direction of travel of said car along said monorail, a projection on said car including a forward cam-actuating surface and a rearward locking surface, and a spring arm dependent from said elevator carrier and including a projecting portion at the end thereof, said car latching means being operative to allow said cam means to be depressed by engagement of said second cam surface and said forward cam-actuating surface upon arrival of said car at the station, to allow said cam means to return to its normal position upon subsequent passage of said rearward locking surface over the junction of said locking surface and said second cam surface of said cam means, whereby said car is prevented from movement in the opposite direction along said monorail due to engagement of said locking surface and said rearward locking surface, and to be again depressed upon motion of said elevator carrier toward said first position by engagement of said projecting portion of said spring arm and said first cam surface, whereby said car is released due to said locking surface and said rearward locking surface coming out of engagement to allow said car to travel in an opposite direction along said monorail.

Claim 9

A remote teller for providing transmission of documents and other materials between a location in a banking institution and a remote location, comprising: a. a customer station at the remote location and a teller station at the banking institution location, b. a transaction box for receiving and carrying documents and other materials, c. a monorail transportation system adapted for burial between said stations and including carrier means operative to move said transaction box between said stations, d. at each of said stations, a housing extending from said monorail transportation system to an access point in the location, said housing including an access door at said access point, and e. elevator means in each of said housings for receiving said transaction box from said carrier means and for moving said transaction box between said monorail transportation system and said access point.

Claim 10

A remote teller for providing transmission of documents and other materials between a location in a banking institution and a remote location, comprising: a. a customer station at the remote location and a teller station at the banking institution location, b. a transaction box for receiving and carrying documents and other materials, c. a monorail transportation system adapted for burial between said stations and including carrier means operative to move said transaction box between said stations, d. at each of said stations, a housing extending from said monorail transportation system to an access point in the location, said housing including an access door at said access point, and e. elevator means in each of said housings for receiving said transaction box from said carrier means and for moving said transaction box between said monorail transportation system and said access point.

Claim 11

A remote teller as recited in claim 8, wherein said elevator means at said customer station includes means for moving said transaction box to said monorail transportation system, to said access point, or to a retract position intermediate said monorail transportation system and said access point.

Claim 12

A remote teller for providing transmission of documents and other materials between a location in a banking institution and a remote location comprising: a. a customer station at the remote location and a teller station at the banking institution location, b. a transaction box for receiving and carrying documents and other materials, c. a monorail transportation system adapted for burial between said stations and including means operative to move said transaction box between said stations, d. at each of said stations, a housing extending from said monorail transportation system to an access point in the location, said housing including an access door at said access point, elevator means for moving said transaction box between said monorail transportation system and said access point, and a guide means disposed iN said housing for supporting said access door for movement in said housing between closed and open positions, a shaft, means supporting said shaft for rotation within said housing, an overcenter mechanism including first and second, pivoted arms coupling said door to said shaft, an actuating cam supported by and movable with said elevator means, and an actuating arm rigidly attached to and rotatable with said shaft, said actuating arm being engaged by said actuating cam when said elevator means moves said transaction box into and from its access position, to thereby rotate said shaft and control the position of said access door through said overcenter mechanism.

Claim 13

A remote teller for providing transmission of documents and other materials between a location in a banking institution and a remote location comprising: a. a customer station at the remote location and a teller station at the banking institution location, b. a transaction box for receiving and carrying documents and other materials, c. a monorail transportation system adapted for burial between said stations and including means operative to move said transaction box between said stations, d. at each of said stations, a housing extending from said monorail transportation system to an access point in the location, said housing including an access door at said access point, elevator means for moving said transaction box between said monorail transportation system and said access point, and a guide means disposed iN said housing for supporting said access door for movement in said housing between closed and open positions, a shaft, means supporting said shaft for rotation within said housing, an overcenter mechanism including first and second, pivoted arms coupling said door to said shaft, an actuating cam supported by and movable with said elevator means, and an actuating arm rigidly attached to and rotatable with said shaft, said actuating arm being engaged by said actuating cam when said elevator means moves said transaction box into and from its access position, to thereby rotate said shaft and control the position of said access door through said overcenter mechanism.

Claim 14

A remote teller for providing transmission of documents and other materials between a location in a banking institution and a remote location, comprising: a. a customer station at the remote location and a teller station at the banking institution location, b. a transaction box for receiving and carrying documents and other materials, c. a monorail transportation system adapted for burial between said stations and including means operative to move said transaction box between said stations, d. at each of said stations, a housing extending from said monorail transportation system to an access point in the location, said housing including an access door at said access point, and elevator means for moving said transaction box between said monorail transportation system and said access point, e. a transaction box position control means including a switch means at each of said stations, and a control means having as its input said switch means at each of said stations and in turn controlling the operation of said elevator means in each of said stations and said monorail transportation system so that said transaction box is transported from the access point in one of said stations to the access point in the other of said stations in response to the actuation of said switch means at said one of said stations, f. wherein said elevator means at said customer station includes means for moving said transaction box to said monorail transportation system, to said access point, or to a retract position intermediate said monorail trnsportation system and said access point, and g. wherein said transaction box position control means further includes a second switch means located at said teller station for providing an input signal to said control means, and said control means includes means responsive to said input signal from said second switch means to control said monorail transportation system and said elevator means in said stations, so that said transaction box is transported to said retract position from any other point in the remote teller in response to actuation of said second switch means.

Claim 15

A remote teller for providing transmission of documents and other materials between a location in a banking institution and a remote location, comprising: a. a customer station at the remote location and a teller station at the banking institution location, b. a transaction box for receiving and carrying documents and other materials, c. a monorail transportation system adapted for burial between said stations and including means operative to move said transaction box between said stations, d. at each of said stations, a housing extending from said monorail transportation system to an access point in the location, said housing including an access door at said access point, and elevator means for moving said transaction box between said monorail transportation system and said access point, e. a transaction box position control means including a switch means at each of said stations, and a control means having as its input said switch means at each of said stations and in turn controlling the operation of said elevator means in each of said stations and said monorail transportation system so that said transaction box is transported from the access point in one of said stations to the access point in the other of said stations in response to the actuation of said switch means at said one of said stations, f. wherein said elevator means at said customer station includes means for moving said transaction box to said monorail transportation system, to said access point, or to a retract position intermediate said monorail trnsportation system and said access point, and g. wherein said transaction box position control means further includes a second switch means located at said teller station for providing an input signal to said control means, and said control means includes means responsive to said input signal from said second switch means to control said monorail transportation system and said elevator means in said stations, so that said transaction box is transported to said retract position from any other point in the remote teller in response to actuation of said second switch means.

Claim 16

The remote teller as recited in claim 11, wherein said control means further includes a means responsive to said input signal from said second switch means to control said elevator means in said customer station to transport said transaction box between said access point and said retract position in response to successive actuations of said second switch means.

Claim 17

A remote teller for providing transmission of documents and other materials between a location in a banking institution and a remote location, comprising: a. a customer station at the remote location and a teller station at the banking institution location, b. a transaction box for receiving and carrying documents and other materials, c. a monorail transportation system adapted for burial between said stations and including means operative to move said transaction box between said stations, and, d. at each of said stations, a housing extending from said monorail transportation system to an access point in the location, said housing including an access door at said access point, an elevator means for moving said transaction box between said monorail transportation system and said access point, wherein said transaction box comprises a generally-closed receptacle having an open top, at least one door pivotally mounted on said receptacle for closing said open top, means maintaining said door normally closed, an actuating arm attached to said door for rotating said door about its pivotal support to open said door, and wherein each of said stations further includes an actuator disposed in said housing adjacent said access point and engageable with said actuating arm when said elevator means moves said transaction box adjacent said access point.

Claim 18

A remote teller for providing transmission of documents and other materials between a location in a banking institution and a remote location, comprising: a. a customer station at the remote location and a teller station at the banking institution location, b. a transaction box for receiving and carrying documents and other materials, c. a monorail transportation system adapted for burial between said stations and including means operative to move said transaction box between said stations, and, d. at each of said stations, a housing extending from said monorail transportation system to an access point in the location, said housing including an access door at said access point, an elevator means for moving said transaction box between said monorail transportation system and said access point, wherein said transaction box comprises a generally-closed receptacle having an open top, at least one door pivotally mounted on said receptacle for closing said open top, means maintaining said door normally closed, an actuating arm attached to said door for rotating said door about its pivotal support to open said door, and wherein each of said stations further includes an actuator disposed in said housing adjacent said access point and engageable with said actuating arm when said elevator means moves said transaction box adjacent said access point.

Claim 19

A remote teller as recited in claim 13, wherein said transaction box further comprises a locking bracket pivotally supported from said receptacle and normally overlying said door, and a second actuating arm-attached to said locking bracket for rotating said bracket about its pivotal support, and wherein each of said stations further includes a second actuator disposed in said housing adjacent said access point and extending beyond said first actuator, so that said second actuator engages said second actuating arm before said first actuator engages said first actuating arm when said elevator means moves said transaction box adjacent said access point.

Claim 20

A remote teller for providing transmission of documents and other materials between a location in a banking institution and a remote location, comprising: a. a customer station at the remote location and a teller station at the banking institution location, b. a transaction box for receiving and carrying documents and other materials. c. a monorail transportation system adapted for burial between said stations and including means operative to move said transaction box between said stations, d. at each of said stations, a housing extending from said monorail transportation system to an access point in the location, said housing including an access door at said access point, an elevator means for moving said transaction box between said monorail transportation system and said access point, and, e. transaction box position control means including a switch means at each of said stations, and a control means having as its inputs said switch means at each of said stations and in turn controlling the operation of said elevator means in each of said stations and said monorail transportation system so that said transaction box is transported from the access point in one of said stations to the access point in the other of said stations in response to the actuation of said switch means at said one of said stations.

Claim 21

A remote teller for providing transmission of documents and other materials between a location in a banking institution and a remote location, comprising: a. a customer station at the remote location and a teller station at the banking institution location, b. a transaction box for receiving and carrying documents and other materials. c. a monorail transportation system adapted for burial between said stations and including means operative to move said transaction box between said stations, d. at each of said stations, a housing extending from said monorail transportation system to an access point in the location, said housing including an access door at said access point, an elevator means for moving said transaction box between said monorail transportation system and said access point, and, e. transaction box position control means including a switch means at each of said stations, and a control means having as its inputs said switch means at each of said stations and in turn controlling the operation of said elevator means in each of said stations and said monorail transportation system so that said transaction box is transported from the access point in one of said stations to the access point in the other of said stations in response to the actuation of said switch means at said one of said stations.

Claim 22

A remote teller as recited in claim 15, wherein said switch means at said teller station is actuated by closure of said access door.

Claim 23

A remote teller as recited in claim 15, wherein said switch means at said customer station comprises a pushbutton switch and means mounting said pushbutton switch in said housing so that said pushbutton switch can be actuated by a customer at the customer station.

Claim 24

A remote teller as recited in claim 15, wherein said transaction box position control means includes a recall switch means located at said teller station which provides an input signal to said control means, and wherein said control means further includes means responsive to said input signal to control said elevator means in each of said stations and said monorail transportation system so that said transaction box is transported to the access point in said teller station from any other point in the remote teller in response to actuation of said recall switch means.