Apparatus for receiving and distributing cash

1. A note handling apparatus for receiving input notes and for reusing at least some of said input notes as output notes, wherein the note handling apparatus comprises:

at least one note detection component configured to identify and confirm the integrity of said notes;

a plurality of note storage components, each of said plurality of note storage components comprising at least one drum able to rotate in both directions, wherein notes are stored by being rolled between layers of film spooled onto said at least one drum, wherein a last infed note of a denomination on said at least one drum is the first fed out note of that denomination from said at least one drum;

a single note infeed opening for receiving notes into the note handling apparatus, said single note infeed opening being arranged to receive input of individual notes of different denominations, wherein notes fed into said apparatus move through said single note infeed opening and are stored in said plurality of note storage components;

a note output opening for discharging notes from the note handling apparatus;

a main transport belt for moving notes between said note infeed opening and said plurality of note storage components, and for moving notes between said plurality of note storage components and said note output opening, the main transport belt extending from the note infeed opening to the plurality of note storage components and extending from the plurality of note storage components to the note output opening; and

a plurality of note direction changers, each note direction changer being respectively associated with a corresponding note storage component of the plurality of note storage components, each note direction changer being for directing notes from the main transport belt into its associated storage component and for directing notes discharged from its associated note storage component to the main transport belt,

wherein said main transport belt is arranged to receive input notes one after the other from the single note infeed opening, and wherein the main transport belt is arranged to dispense said output notes one after the other through said note output opening.

2. The note handling apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said single note infeed opening and said note output opening forms a single opening in the note handling apparatus.

3. The note handling apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the main transport belt is unidirectional.

4. The note handling apparatus as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the main transport belt substantially defines a first plane in a downstream direction with respect to the single note infeed opening and substantially a second plane, substantially parallel with said first plane, in an upstream direction with respect to the note output opening.

5. The note handling apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , comprising a countertop, wherein said countertop has a note guiding surface, and wherein a portion of said main transport belt intersects a plane defined by said note guiding surface, wherein a gap between said note guiding surface and said main transport belt portion forms said single note infeed opening.

6. The note handling apparatus as claimed in claim 5 , wherein said gap is located in an upper side of said note handling apparatus.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said single note infeed opening is arranged in a countertop in connection with said note storage components, wherein notes fed into the apparatus move through said single note infeed opening in said countertop and are stored in said note storage components.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the single note infeed opening in said countertop is placed in a position enabling both employees and customers to use it.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein all of said note storage components are located underneath a surface of a countertop.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein notes fed out from said note storage components move through said single note infeed opening in a countertop before being presented to users.

11. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said single note infeed opening is a single opening for the inflow and outflow of notes of different denominations.

12. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein notes stored on said note storage components comprise notes issued by greater than one country, and wherein a note detection component configured to identify the value of notes fed into said apparatus identifies the value of notes issued by greater than one country.

13. The apparatus according to claim 1 , comprising a bankcard reader.

14. The note handling apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein each note direction changer comprises a rotating peripheral surface that diverts notes from the main transport belt into the corresponding note storage component when the rotating peripheral surface contacts the notes during rotation in a first rotational direction, and said note direction changer being configured to direct notes on the main transport belt past the corresponding note storage component when the rotating peripheral surface contacts the notes during rotation in a second rotational direction that is opposite the first rotational direction.

15. The note handling apparatus as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the rotating peripheral surface is a substantially continuous external surface.

16. The note handling apparatus as claimed in claim 15 , wherein the note direction changer comprises a cylindrical body mounted on a shaft.